GMA

Summary of my Proposal

2008-01-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

Rachel and Clare asked us to describe our proposal and intentions for the project. This was a very simple idea but I had never considered actually sitting down and thinking about all the ideas and feelings that are running about my head and putting them into words. The following statement is what I came up with, I think of it as my hypothesis for the project:

"The Mackintosh Building has cared for and served it occupants for long enough- its time for it to regain its own identity and be able to grow for itself."

Did that building just wink at me?

2008-01-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

http://tlltworld.blogspot.com/2007/05/do-buildings-frown.html

This is obviously just a funny coincidence but it does raise the issue again of buildings being humanised. Maybe as a human, I just WANT to see every object in this world as something I can relate too.

Directors Quarters

2008-01-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of us were lucky to be in the right place at the right time and managed to talk to Prof. Seona Reid (Director). Here is a brief descrition of our visit.

When you walk into the Directors office, it feels very feminine and homely. This has been one of the most pleasing and calm rooms to be in for me so far. A round table, some cabinets, tables and desks fill the spacious room. Some of the furniture is original to the room, but all of it seems right (apart from the 'catalogue' desk and computer hidden in the corner). The office is very bright as its front wall has a fantastically huge window overseeing the other side of the street, even Where the Monkey Sleeps! The window has access to a balcony where works have been exhibited in the past, including a boy 'peeing' and a string quartet.

A strange boxed-in structure in the corner of the room, caught my eye and Seona was able to tell us that this was how the Director would of usually sent messages down to the front desk. It has a tiny pulley system which I'm sure was used A LOT in its day, now its the telephones turn to take the brunt of the work.

Up a quaint staircase took us to the Private studio space which would have been actively used by the headmasters of the past. Sadly Seona does not have use for it but it is housing several pieces of furniture which are awaiting restoration at the moment. Once again this room has access to a small balcony space at the front of the building which is accessed through a tiny door midway up the staircase. (anyone wanting to try to get out that door had best take their WD40, cause its stiff, believe me, we tried.)

It would be impossible to get any works of art down the staircase if they were bigger than a postage stamp, so a hoist is in the room which can transport the painting down into the room below where it can be removed easier. This once again points out this buildings amazing attention to detail.

Official Mackintosh Tour

2008-01-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

Its really hard to walk, listen and write and the same time but I tried!

Between finishing the first half of the building and starting the second half, Mackintosh redesigned the west section of building as his ideals had changed.

Originally the Gallery was used as a drawing room.

Even though this was one of the first buildings to have electricity, natural light was still very much needed, as seen in the massive windows in the Gallery.

The Gallery space and the main staircase shows Mackintosh's Japanese influences in the pillars and the cage like structures.

The corridors were made wide enough to be used at studio spaces too so to accommodate more students.

Mackintosh never wrote about his work which means he has left many puzzles that will never be solved. This gives the Building a mysterious feel.

Alcoves at either side of the studio doors were made to house a glass vase with a single red rose. this was to inspire students when they arrive but understandably it was very expensive and was almost immediately stopped.

Mackintosh used the most expensive technique of staining glass to decorate the windows in the studio doors which meant he had to use the cheapest building materials for the rest of the building. this has later caused problems as they are starting to be damaged.

The staircase walls are finished with highly polished cement.

Tile Motifs are inlaid at each landing on the staircases, no two tile patterns are exactly the same.

Mackintosh turned the building on its head by making the building darker as you go up the building. On the Loggia it was originally very dark and crypt like (once again making a space that's high up in the building look like it belongs in the basement) However in the 60's someone painted its bare brick work white in order to make it 'a more pleasant working environment'.

At the top of the East staircase a font is seen. This was not originally placed by Mackintosh but was a piece of work made by a student in the 60's. The font was made in such a heavy material and was made on site that no one can move it! N.B. Either this person felt silly or they had just worked out the most amazing way to get a piece of worked displayed indefinitely!

It was unusual for a greenhouse to be structurally built into an art school, but Mackintosh believed that all artists must first learn from the beauty of nature before they too can make works of art.

Students were asked to leave one piece of their work when they had graduated and they were kept in the Store Room. This meant that the room would be holding a lot of weight, so this room was suspended by iron stirrups from the buildings structural H-Beams.

The Library was meant to feel like a forest. The four elements of the world were represented in this room in the spars on the railings- white-air, blue- water, green- earth, red- fire.

Nicholas Oddy Talk 14/01/08

2008-01-15T05:43:00.000-08:00

We did not have any questions prepared, just curious to see what Nicholas would say without being prompted. To find out true feelings.

KEY POINTS

walk around the network in the sub-basement, could take you for miles- very interesting.
The Mackintosh room was the original Board Room but the Director ordered there to be a new 'more manly' Board Room built when the second half was completed. The Mackintosh room was seen to be too feminine as it was painted white which was traditionally seen as the colour of Drawing Rooms which were used by women.
The Art School was run on a Pyramidal Hierarchy, with the Director having final say on every matter, no matter what anyone else thinks. To this day the School is still run like this.
At Board Meetings the Board members were made to feel small as the table was much taller that the chairs so they felt like children with infantile ideas. The Chairman, however, was sitting on a dais so he was taller and more important than the rest.
There has been paintings which superbly show this. (anyone help with the names of these please?)
General construction of Mackintosh furniture was poor. It depended on who the clients were, what standard of workmanship they received. The Art School didn't care as long as it served its purpose so very few original pieces of furniture still exist in working order. N.B.this is especially seen in the library where only half a dozen of the originally spindle chairs exists- they were quickly replaced by chairs from one of the old tea rooms.
What is now Registry, used to be Luncheon Rooms, one side was for females the other for men. N.B. Seemingly if you go into the offices you can still see their potential as tearooms.
The Directors office has its own private Studio space and Painting Hoist.
Alex (welkie???) , who was in the Ceramics department, seemingly left the Kiln on when going for a refreshment and burnt a hole through the floor!

7 till 5: A Pattern of the Day's Doings

2008-01-15T05:32:00.000-08:00

Norman McLaren Video Tape 1243

7am - Coal on fires

- Down on your honches to clean the floor.

- In the 'IN' door

- Register

- Coats up

Up and Down stairs

9.30am- Start Classes

11am - Eat, Drink

11.30am - Back to work

Up and Down Stairs

1pm - Refectory Menu

- Fill hungry Bellies

2pm - Buy wears

4.45pm - Drop everything

5pm - Lights out

- Jackets gone

Up and Down Stairs

- out the 'OUT' door

Watch out!!! Its around you!!!!

2008-01-15T05:10:00.000-08:00

In my explorations of the Mackintosh Building I found and felt there were many human elements to it. Different levels seemed to have different personalities (just like the ID and EGO phenomenon of the human mind). The building is showing signs of wear and tear, it has responded to the challenges and chores it has been put through, such as scooping of the stairs where thousands of feet have worn them away.
(Above: Old Woman Resin by Angela Talbot)

It is like a wise old woman- a mother who has dedicated her life to serving and caring for her children. I am very interested and excited by this element and I have started to look into this.

Nick Grimshaw Buildings as Living Organisms Video Tape 69

"Buildings should be seen as living organisms. If they are to last at all, or to be of any use in the future, they have got to be able to grow and adapt and change and react to the changes and forces that are on them, both from the inside and the outside."

N.B. This point of view was applied to humans by Kenny Hunter in his talk. So when I heard this applied to buildings I felt more secure in my thoughts about brings the Mackintosh Building to life- whether literally or not i don't know, but I'm on the case!

Bill Mason's Talk (Head of Estates at GSA)

2008-01-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

In 1850's school was near George Square, then moved to the McLennan Galleries.

School was built in 2 sections, East half built first.

Current restorations will be finished by December 2009 and will be the 100 year anniversary of when the full building was completely finished.

From sub-basement up to the top floor there are 10 floors.

Originally not many approved of the appearance of the building, this makes sense when you consider that the Glasgow City Chambers was built at the same time

Originally, Studios 38, 39, and 40 were separated by folding partition walls which would be opened to create one big hall. Hopefully one of these partitioning walls will be replaced in the current restorations.

During WWI, the Mackintosh Building was used as a collection point for Spagma Moss, which was used in bandages for the wounded. School children would go and collect the the moss from surrounding countryside. One half of the school was used as a hospital.

During WWII one half of the school was again used by the red cross. Students were given metal helmets and sent up onto the roof to be look outs for bombings and fire damage in other parts of the city. There is a hook situated on the west gable end of the building which was the only means of escape if people were caught on the roof- thankfully it was never needed.

The Mackintosh had one of the first integrated heating systems of its day. It was a coal and steam driven system which pushed hot air along a tunnel on the Ground floor which was then distributed throughout the building through wooden vents.

Two chimneys can be seen on the back of the building which were connected to the only two stoves in the building: The green house; and in the sub-basement where it was used to heat glue and so on.

Up until the 1970's the head janitor and his family lived in the Janitors House, now the Estates Offices. This was a self contained apartment, which had upstairs and down stairs. The House was accessed through the door on the left hand side of the corridor when you enter the building through the East entrance.

Kenny Hunter's Considerations of where work is sited:

2008-01-15T04:19:00.000-08:00

Take into account the surrounding architecture.

The dimensions of the space provided.

History of space.

Memories associated with the space.

Be open to whats out there but be brave enough to stand by what you want to do- its ok to walk away from a project.

Kenny Hunter's Talk 11/01/08

2008-01-15T03:11:00.000-08:00

History plays a big part in his work. Sees history as a series of happening which constantly return, each time slightly changed.

Love/ Hate relationship with Monumental Tradition. Loves the grand scale but hates the dictatorship that traditionally goes along with it. Hunter places his works on movable/non-permanent plinths so that the idea that changes are a given is shown, unlike the permanent monuments of dictators which are saying this person will always be here and be vitally important.

'History' is usually taught as: history of countries, wars, leaders, industrialisation etc, this leads to equally important histories of less political things being lost in time. This is a shame.

Hunter uses found objects along with hand crafted objects.

Interested in taking global and apocalyptic issues and pairing them with something homely and safe.

Has experimented with the technique that sculptors throughout history have used to influence the viewers path around their work by using 'the corkscrew' dynamic.

Sometimes the scaling down of something can make it more powerful- big is not always the most impressive.

most of our lives are responses to change rather than following a previously considered path. Trying to live up the expectations usually ends in disappointment and pain.

your personality will never be complete, we are always open to new stresses and challenges.

Hunter is interested in the destruction of sculptures as in people pulling down monuments of fallen governments, a gesture that something has come to the end.

Children must break away from their parents in order for them to become individuals.

Worked solely as a sculptor in order to feel confident in his material and able to express himself to a high standard, but to keep interested has started to work with words in order to learn a new way of working. It is important to not fall into the trap of learning to do many things but only to a basic standard.

Likes to keep changing between studio/exhibition sites and public sites.

Michael Angelo has been an on going influence.

Up to date all public works have been Bronze.

Animals and humans are not as separate as society likes to think.

" Should do nudes but its the Scottish Protestant in me that says , BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLOTHES ON!!!! :S "

Sculptures can bring society together in an age where there dissolving of traditional roles and morals in society.

Sculpture is owned by the society it is placed in for them to do as they want, such as the Firefighter being used as a place for remembrance for 9/11.

Men were traditionally used in sculpture to show strength and direction and women were more passive in nature- reversing these roles can be interesting.

Getting yourself into a stressed state is not always the most productive way to work. in the state of 'openness' your best ideas can be found.

If you don't adapt to the modern world you will become obsolete.

You have a right to elevation. "GET DRUNK"
Get to know who and what you really are. "STAND NAKED"

Workshop 2 - Concepts taking form- Developing an Artwork

2008-01-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Purple Glove and the B.O. can- where can/should they be together?

My reason for using these two objects was that they were in my bag but this was a deliberate choice.....Honest! Clare and Rachel assured us that our objects did not matter so I did not want to clutter my head with preconceived notions and feelings about my objects before the workshop.

This all seemed like a very sensible idea until we were given our brief- how on earth was I going to make these objects work together let alone look aesthetically pleasing. As I had no 'light' on the situation I took them to the dark claustrophobic corridor leading to the West Exit. Two panes of glass were missing from a cupboard door, situated in the corridor, with the partitioning lead snapped off too. This had the potential to act as a frame for my objects and once arranged, seemed to work. This positioning led to another more exciting dynamic appearing- existing cracked panes distal to the "frame" gave further history/future to the objects and their location.

The glove looked as if it could push the can from its perch which could cause the glass below to crack on contact. Its disconcerting that this has already occurred even though the can was still in its original position. It was as if both the cause and effect were shown at the same time- the concept of time had been tampered with.

This set up felt violent and disrupted- time to experiment with different locations!

Next port of call was on the landing midway between the ground and first floor of the West staircase. Here the feeling was of victory and hope! B.O. seemed to be encouraging purple to join it at the top. Purple could see the light at the end of the tunnel and knew it was almost there.

This seemed to capture my exploration of the building, like climbers or walkers, I am reliant on others experiences and advice to find my way....... CHEESE but every true!!! :P

My Mackintosh (Video tape 469)

2008-01-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

KEY POINTS

Mackintosh was a student at the Art School, which presumably played a big part in his approach in designing the new school as he would understand the establishment and how it would be used.
He worked in contrasts, as shown in his use of light in the building, i.e.You enter into a dark oppressed hallway and are drawn up the central staircase into the the light flooded Gallery space. In this way he manipulates the visitors pathway through the building. N.B The people are acting like the flower heads, which follow the sun lights path throughout the day in order to survive.

Bruce McLean - Artists Take on the Mackintosh Building (Video Tape 51)

2008-01-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

KEY POINTS

Materials blended together to create the Building

Glass

Iron

Wood

Stone

N.B. The use of these 4 natural materials reminds me of the design aspect that Mackintosh incorporated into the libraries spars: Water (blue), Air (white), Earth (green), Fire (red).

Mackintosh brought the outside of the building in, such as the light shades in the Library which are reminiscent of the exterior design of the building.

N.B. More literally the west gable end of the original part of the building is now an interior wall.

Fantastic Views of the City from various locations in the building makes it like the eye in the heart of the City. The building seems to take ownership of Glasgow as it is perched high on the hill- like a castle.

N.B. Its position was put to good use during WWII, when students were sent to the roof to watch for air raids and damage in other parts of the city.

Site- Context- Place

2008-01-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

Never thought I could be so interested in a building before- now all i can think about is the Mackintosh. Not complaining though cause what a ride its been!

So far have been lucky enough to meet with a good selection of members of staff and am booked in to meet with others, in order to get their take on the building. It really is amazing how differently the Building has featured in each persons life, and what it means to them. I have tried to take notes on each occasion and hope you can find something useful in them for your own project.