Wayfinding, 2018 - 2019

Glasgow As I See It was a group of older people with visual impairments who met fortnightly to explore art and heritage. Luke Shaw and I were commissioned to work with this group through a series of creative workshops, resulting in an exhibition that drew upon their knowledge, experience and interests and that was fully accessible.

 

One participant had been a drummer in a well- known jazz band, playing in dancehalls across Scotland in his time. Responding to his passion for music, we arranged to visit the National Library of Scotland’s Sound Archive at Kelvinhall, where we were able listen to archival recordings and do a touch-tour of their physical collection. Through this visit we were able to re-connect this participant and others in the group to pieces of cultural history and involve him in the NLS’s jazz project. Other workshops involved field recording in and around the Briggait, foley making, 3D drawing and storytelling games.

 

As part of Wayfinding we also worked with a group of older women in Castlemilk, using printmaking as a way to turn stories of their neighbourhood into vibrant visual works.

 

This project was shared and celebrated publicly at the New Glasgow Society, where drawings and prints sat alongside sound recordings and photographs, and a discussion on the themes of the show involved participants, invited guests and the public. With advice from Visibility, we installed a motion sensor at the door which played a recorded introduction to the exhibition space.