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Documentation of something extraordinary is a primary reason of mine for taking the photographs i do, other times its important to take a photograph to prove that something actually happened - and that is the reason for this portrait. Last night after wearily returning home from a challenging shift at work i received a message out of the blue from Duncan, a friend who has spent the last 7 months in rural Russia on exchange. It simply said he was in Glasgow for a day and a half if I fancied catching up. I was extremely happy to see him and to hear just the first snippet of his Russian adventure. Getting to see him felt like a gift from pure chance, plopping him back into my/our world for the afternoon. So here is my proof to all the people who know Duncan that this actually happened… (and i swear he looks more Russian than when he left!)

Documentation of something extraordinary is a primary reason of mine for taking the photographs i do, other times its important to take a photograph to prove that something actually happened - and that is the reason for this portrait. Last night after wearily returning home from a challenging shift at work i received a message out of the blue from Duncan, a friend who has spent the last 7 months in rural Russia on exchange. It simply said he was in Glasgow for a day and a half if I fancied catching up. I was extremely happy to see him and to hear just the first snippet of his Russian adventure. Getting to see him felt like a gift from pure chance, plopping him back into my/our world for the afternoon. So here is my proof to all the people who know Duncan that this actually happened…

(and i swear he looks more Russian than when he left!)

After a hard days work, Gill line’s her tools of the trade on the radiator to dry and affectionately refers to them as, “my Army”.

After a hard days work, Gill line’s her tools of the trade on the radiator to dry and affectionately refers to them as, “my Army”.

For the next few weeks Deena and I have the joy of looking after the fantastic Shantha’s dog Rudi, while Shantha is touring with artist Fleur Elise Noble. Rudi is a feisty and loveable little lady, she can play fetch for hours and then sleep till noon curled up into a ball under the duvet. And with already having a rather shy but quietly confident cat Wolfie not far off the same size as Rudi, myself and my flatmate have to enjoy mitigating an entirely different kind of politics in our home.

Some Excellent Graffiti taken outside the SWG3, Glasgow.

Some Excellent Graffiti taken outside the SWG3, Glasgow.

Trongate 103’s Exhibition “Data” is a meticulously kept “self-historification” by Scotland based artist Pete Horobin. For ten years the artist documented his daily life with photographs, film, audio recordings, writing and other methods to create a revealing and compelling archive of his life.

“Is there anything to do here, is there anything to see?” is a CCA commissioned exhibition on show there till the 2nd of June. The artist Rob Kennedy’s work in the exhibition is built to communicate with their environments and with you. Some really good film work and intriguing illustrations, and even a chance a spot of ping-pong.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and if you are in the city of Glasgow you still have 2 more days to bounce around on an inflatable version of Stone Henge on Glasgow Green. The amazing and fun interactive piece by Jeremy Deller as part of the Glasgow International Visual Arts Festival. A full 15 minutes on the inflatable art is far more strenuous than it sounds after spending the first 5 or 10 minutes bouncing and running about adult and child alike. So encouraged to engage with the work you barely notice the resemblance of your fun rejoicing to the Pagan rituals of the original un-bouncy structures.

A truly unique piece of artwork and experience.

Here’s one really not to be missed.

#Unravel is an interactive sound installation at the SWG3 as part of the Glasgow International Visual Arts festival. An extremely impressive feat of electrical engineering itself, each record to play from a box of 7“‘s inspires a story from the narrator’s life and a live musical piece played by the instruments in the room. Introducing the varying factors of time of day, mood, audience and context to mould the way the story is told and the music is played. The work by FOUND and Aidan Moffat perfectly succeeds in asking that question of the truth in the stories we tell of ourselves again and again.

Highly recommended..

A selection of artwork by American artist and activist Emory Douglas is on show at the Kendall Koppe Gallery in the city centre of Glasgow until June 1st as part of the Glasgow International Visual Arts festival. A really stirring series of evocative illustrations showing the rise of resistance published over a number of years in the newspaper for the Black Panther Movement in the 1970’s. 

A selection of artwork by American artist and activist Emory Douglas is on show at the Kendall Koppe Gallery in the city centre of Glasgow until June 1st as part of the Glasgow International Visual Arts festival. A really stirring series of evocative illustrations showing the rise of resistance published over a number of years in the newspaper for the Black Panther Movement in the 1970’s. 

An alternative edit of my short film piece “Brew” from an earlier post will be included as part of the Glue Factory’s “Re(-)cord part 2” exhibition running as part of their own GI Fringe festival. The Exhibition of established artists and recent graduates alike promises to be an interesting show. It opens this Thursday night, why not make an appearance if your in the City?

An alternative edit of my short film piece “Brew” from an earlier post will be included as part of the Glue Factory’s “Re(-)cord part 2” exhibition running as part of their own GI Fringe festival. The Exhibition of established artists and recent graduates alike promises to be an interesting show. It opens this Thursday night, why not make an appearance if your in the City?

Once every two years Glasgow International Visual Arts festival takes over the city’s creative spaces and fills them with the best of contemporary art. From exhibitions to films and performances, one off events and experiences almost all free, there is no shortage of interesting insight and perspective to indulge in. This past week I have been to 15 exhibitions and counting, and have seen some truly inspiring work, as well as some captivatingly grotesque work. All of which does wonders for my curiosity.

Each exhibition has aesthetic and contextual value and over the coming days I will be posting the pictures of exhibitions, in order to somewhat showcase the varied and unique(not to mention free) artistic experiences currently but temporarily available to us in this fair city.

Starting with the photo’s above, taken at the Wolfgang Tillman Show currently running at the Common Guild. Featuring a significant body of work ranging from emotional portraits to vast monochromes, the exhibition will run beyond the end of Glasgow International till June 23rd.

An edit of a project entitled “Brew” i filmed originally with my close friend Richie as an experiment with an old high-school projector, a version of this piece is to be exhibited in the near future with all details to follow. For now though, sit back, relax and enjoy a different view of something that happens 165 million times each day in the UK alone.

Another friend and yet another new furry arrival. It seems there is a contagion for animals among my group of friends this year, with the latest among them the very charming cat Zion for the very lucky Richard Andrews. It’s a very welcome trend and one I very much hope will continue..

Another friend and yet another new furry arrival.

It seems there is a contagion for animals among my group of friends this year, with the latest among them the very charming cat Zion for the very lucky Richard Andrews. It’s a very welcome trend and one I very much hope will continue..