Glasgow International Festival 2016

The 7th edition of Glasgow International runs from 8 – 25 April, bringing together both international and Glasgow-based artists to showcase their work in 78 exhibitions at various locations across the city. The biennial festival will again be directed by Sarah McCrory, who has held the position since 2012. Since its first year, the festival has grown exponentially, becoming a world-renowned event for its production of contemporary visual art. For its 2016 edition, the festival introduces new exhibitions by artists Monika Sosnowska, Emily Mae Smith and Akram Zaatari, alongside new performances and participation works by MEGA HAMMER.

Exploring a variety of themes, this year’s Director’s Programme looks at feminist practices, industrial legacies and the meaning of being a creative practitioner in today’s world. Alongside this rich backdrop of themes, a group exhibition by Lawrence Lek, Sheila Hicks, Alexandra Bircken, Mika Rottenberg and Amie Siegel focuses on the ideas of production, manufacture, material culture, design and labour. With a multi-disciplinary display of expression, the artists construct their works through architectural sculpture, video, film and installations.

The solo exhibitions present both local and international artists. Highlights include Who’s Exploiting Who In The Deep Sea?, an exhibition by German artist Cosima von Bonin, which features a selection of the artist’s work from 2006 through to her current projects. Making reference to feminism, popular culture and art history, she creates works which are both melancholic and humorous. Local artist Claire Barclay showcases a large-scale installation, created in response to Kelvin Hall, one of Glasgow’s oldest art spaces, which is currently undergoing renovation. In this work, Barclay has delved into past and present attitudes towards Scotland’s industrial heritage.

Further to individual creation, around 30 group shows take place across the city; at Wasps Studios, Heather Lander and Simon Harlow present their video installation and sculptural work Materialia. At the Savoy Centre, the city’s oldest shopping mall, three artists centre on the history of the commercial space, questioning authenticity, value and choice.

Glasgow International, 8 – 25 April, various locations across the city.

For additional information visit www.glasgowinternational.org.

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Credits:
1. Sheila Hicks, Mighty Mathilde and Her Consort (2016). Courtesy of Alison Jacques Gallery. Photography: Cristobal Zanartu.