In a city with as rich and vibrant creative circles as Glasgow, there is no shortage of artistic endeavour, achievement and expression to explore, consume, or participate in. Neglected urban spaces vie with reinvented neighbourhoods as an edgy, creative energy, continues to shape aspirations for a city.
Mural outside Tramway – Pollockshields Playhouse by RECOAT
Assemble’s collaborative and transformative project that breathes new life and hope into the fortunes of simple terraced housing, their people, and the Liverpool 8 area is a worthy winner for the Turner Prize 2015. For me it is a vital, and refreshing nomination, in terms of its creative process, presentation, and as a vehicle for creating positive change.
The historically, politically, and socially charged notion of place and identity within Liverpool’s Toxteth, is the backdrop to this story. A celebration of human desire for a sense of home and security, overcoming scars of hostility and neglect. Once a beating heart of trade, colour, and brick or ‘brownstone’ streets and homes, the ‘Brooklyn’ of Europe became stigmatised by physical and social decline, culminating in the fallout from the heavy handed and racist policing that instigated the riots of 81.
Across the UK from London to Manchester & Glasgow, streets of decent housing and tenants were decimated by the comprehensive ‘clearance for redevelopment’ through concrete megastructures and masterplans. Poorly managed and realised this vision failed spectacularly, often amidst a sea of disrespect and distrust for the people who knew the place the best.
An all to common story of a blighted inner-city drained of opportunity and vitality was later realised in Liverpool 8 by the 90s ‘Pathfinder’ scheme. The reality; vacant sites and streets left boarded up awaiting the gradual process of renewal and redevelopment, red-lining boundaries of land parcels to become commodified entities in their own right; subjected to potential profit margins and the decisions of organisations detached from an area’s best interests; all too often tinged with discriminatory undertones. Promises left undone.
ASSEMBLE ‘Granby Workshop’ and Turner Prize Installation
Assemble’s project is both poignant, uplifting and calls for a critical re-evaluation of the ingredients for building neighbourhoods. As a collective of architectural designers and artists, they bring a contextually appropriate and collaborative way of doing things. They became involved with the renovation of the Granby Four Streets, after years of unwavering commitment from residents, enabling the formation of a community land trust, and a campaign to secure a future for houses destined to be demolished as part of successive failed measures to manage the decline in the area’s fortunes.
Displayed through the lens of a gallery, and viewed in the context of our built environment, the subject matter (material) of unassuming, yet obliterated and neglected rows of terraced housing made good, becomes symbolic of our nation’s relationship to housing; our ability to resist and overcome political and social hardship, and of an intrinsic beauty in working together to determine a positive physical environment.
As clever as any conceptual piece, or brush stroke, was the idea to deliver the Turner Prize exhibition through a physical reconstruction of a house as a showroom of products available to buy online. ‘Granby Rock’ or discarded brick and stone rubble, recast with colour pigment and sand, become polished products, lamp stands and fireplaces; iconic gestures in creating a home. There are tiles and tables, fabrics and door knobs, tactile and colourful in their burnt umbers and siennas, made with a sense of fun, reconstituted from the essence of the place, and sold as a vehicle for training, skills, and financial momentum to further the benefits of the project.
ASSEMBLE ‘Granby Workshop’ and Turner Prize Installation
Creating a positive impact on people’s lives far removed from the gallery is a refreshing direction for the Turner Prize, not least the art world generally to direct attention to, and the inclusion of an essentially practical, yet imaginative and collaborative process within the setting of a gallery, enables wider issues to be highlighted, such as the 27000 empty houses in Scotland with potential for refurbishment and re-imagination
It is of no coincidence, that a live site reimagining is beginning to take shape directly opposite the Tramway; and it is exciting to see the venue for this years prize forge creative avenues into the wider infrastructure of the local community. A temporary and generous lease of a vacant urban plot has enabled the set up of Pollockshields Playhouse, a testing ground for people and groups within the community to experiment with ideas of how they would like to use and animate the space.
Rethinking a boundary, Pollockshields Playhouse BAXENDALE – RECOAT
Architect Lee Ivett (Baxendale) and artist Rachel O’Neill lead the project and bring a hands on, and collaborative formula to reinventing places. Working with, illustrators and artists, and creative groups within the area, the project has been materialising throughout the duration of the Turner Prize exhibition, with Glasgow based Recoat creating an eye catching mural to adorn the perimeter of the site, and graphic designer Kat Louden developing type. These interventions into an existing wall and boundary have created a presence and sense of mystery to the street with text and signage referencing old cinema halls. The project aims to bring people together and test new creative realities for Pollockshields.
Using every day materials put together with drills, hammers, sweat and imagination, The Playhouse questions what people can do to a space, turning on its head the prescribed notion of ‘take what is being offered’ notion of development that lands on many communities doorsteps through more traditional and sadly widespread mechanisms for renewal.
Pollockshields Playhouse BAXENDALE – RECOAT – KAT LOUDEN
Accessibility is key here. Inviting people to take part, and have ownership. Letting outcomes take shape organically and enabling people to have the conditions to experiment in alternative visions offers lasting change to be delivered through an approach centred on what local people can contribute. The Turner Prize has undoubtedly presented a wide spectrum of artwork here – almost encapsulating its diversity over previous years’ entries. In so doing one can reason the Turner Prize is still trying to define itself and to identify elements and values on which art is to be assessed. In one sense anything goes, however appealing and connecting to the public is surely a desirable attribute, let alone improving well being for a new generation of residents. Assemble’s work makes a point and makes a difference. Good art for sure.
ASSEMBLE ‘Granby Workshop’ and Turner Prize Installation at Tramway, Glasgow
In a city with as rich and vibrant creative circles as Glasgow, there is no shortage of artistic endeavour, achievement and expression to explore, consume, or participate in. Neglected urban spaces vie with reinvented neighbourhoods as an edgy, creative energy, continues to shape aspirations for a city.
Assemble’s collaborative and transformative project that breathes new life and hope into the fortunes of simple terraced housing, their people, and the Liverpool 8 area is a worthy winner for the Turner Prize 2015. For me it is a vital, and refreshing nomination, in terms of its creative process, presentation, and as a vehicle for creating positive change.
The historically, politically, and socially charged notion of place and identity within Liverpool’s Toxteth, is the backdrop to this story. A celebration of human desire for a sense of home and security, overcoming scars of hostility and neglect. Once a beating heart of trade, colour, and brick or ‘brownstone’ streets and homes, the ‘Brooklyn’ of Europe became stigmatised by physical and social decline, culminating in the fallout from the heavy handed and racist policing that instigated the riots of 81.
Across the UK from London to Manchester & Glasgow, streets of decent housing and tenants were decimated by the comprehensive ‘clearance for redevelopment’ through concrete megastructures and masterplans. Poorly managed and realised this vision failed spectacularly, often amidst a sea of disrespect and distrust for the people who knew the place the best.
An all to common story of a blighted inner-city drained of opportunity and vitality was later realised in Liverpool 8 by the 90s ‘Pathfinder’ scheme. The reality; vacant sites and streets left boarded up awaiting the gradual process of renewal and redevelopment, red-lining boundaries of land parcels to become commodified entities in their own right; subjected to potential profit margins and the decisions of organisations detached from an area’s best interests; all too often tinged with discriminatory undertones. Promises left undone.
Assemble’s project is both poignant, uplifting and calls for a critical re-evaluation of the ingredients for building neighbourhoods. As a collective of architectural designers and artists, they bring a contextually appropriate and collaborative way of doing things. They became involved with the renovation of the Granby Four Streets, after years of unwavering commitment from residents, enabling the formation of a community land trust, and a campaign to secure a future for houses destined to be demolished as part of successive failed measures to manage the decline in the area’s fortunes.
Displayed through the lens of a gallery, and viewed in the context of our built environment, the subject matter (material) of unassuming, yet obliterated and neglected rows of terraced housing made good, becomes symbolic of our nation’s relationship to housing; our ability to resist and overcome political and social hardship, and of an intrinsic beauty in working together to determine a positive physical environment.
As clever as any conceptual piece, or brush stroke, was the idea to deliver the Turner Prize exhibition through a physical reconstruction of a house as a showroom of products available to buy online. ‘Granby Rock’ or discarded brick and stone rubble, recast with colour pigment and sand, become polished products, lamp stands and fireplaces; iconic gestures in creating a home. There are tiles and tables, fabrics and door knobs, tactile and colourful in their burnt umbers and siennas, made with a sense of fun, reconstituted from the essence of the place, and sold as a vehicle for training, skills, and financial momentum to further the benefits of the project.
Creating a positive impact on people’s lives far removed from the gallery is a refreshing direction for the Turner Prize, not least the art world generally to direct attention to, and the inclusion of an essentially practical, yet imaginative and collaborative process within the setting of a gallery, enables wider issues to be highlighted, such as the 27000 empty houses in Scotland with potential for refurbishment and re-imagination
It is of no coincidence, that a live site reimagining is beginning to take shape directly opposite the Tramway; and it is exciting to see the venue for this years prize forge creative avenues into the wider infrastructure of the local community. A temporary and generous lease of a vacant urban plot has enabled the set up of Pollockshields Playhouse, a testing ground for people and groups within the community to experiment with ideas of how they would like to use and animate the space.
Architect Lee Ivett (Baxendale) and artist Rachel O’Neill lead the project and bring a hands on, and collaborative formula to reinventing places. Working with, illustrators and artists, and creative groups within the area, the project has been materialising throughout the duration of the Turner Prize exhibition, with Glasgow based Recoat creating an eye catching mural to adorn the perimeter of the site, and graphic designer Kat Louden developing type. These interventions into an existing wall and boundary have created a presence and sense of mystery to the street with text and signage referencing old cinema halls. The project aims to bring people together and test new creative realities for Pollockshields.
Using every day materials put together with drills, hammers, sweat and imagination, The Playhouse questions what people can do to a space, turning on its head the prescribed notion of ‘take what is being offered’ notion of development that lands on many communities doorsteps through more traditional and sadly widespread mechanisms for renewal.
Accessibility is key here. Inviting people to take part, and have ownership. Letting outcomes take shape organically and enabling people to have the conditions to experiment in alternative visions offers lasting change to be delivered through an approach centred on what local people can contribute. The Turner Prize has undoubtedly presented a wide spectrum of artwork here – almost encapsulating its diversity over previous years’ entries. In so doing one can reason the Turner Prize is still trying to define itself and to identify elements and values on which art is to be assessed. In one sense anything goes, however appealing and connecting to the public is surely a desirable attribute, let alone improving well being for a new generation of residents. Assemble’s work makes a point and makes a difference. Good art for sure.