‘IT'S DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF KEY PEOPLE'
Behind he frame
Jack Mottram examines the strength of women coming through in the Scottish gallery scene and asks whether it’s a significant shift or no longer an issue.
he most recent waye of galleries and curatorial
organisations in Scotland -- the likes of the
limhassy. limergel). .Mary Mary. the recently disbanded Switchspace and Sorcha Dallas — haye something in common beyond promoting work by emerging artists: all are run. in whole or part. by women. liyen making this obseryation is problematic (particularly. perhaps. for this writer. who is not a woman) for. while it is significant that women are holding key positions in the young art scene. just as it is in any formerly male-dominated industry. highlighting the fact perpetuates the problem of making distinctions based on gender. Hannah Robinson. who. along with Sara Barker and Harriet Tritton. founded (ilasgow gallery .Mary Mary. agrees. "It‘s quite difficult she says. ‘lt is important. it's something. but it's hard to talk about because eyen mentioning it can he seen as quite patronising in a sense. because wheneyer women are seen to he doing something. it's worthy of comment. but if men are doing something. it‘s not noted.‘
That said. Robinson suspects that the prominence of
women gallerists and curators may be a reaction against a general gender imbalance in the arts. with women seeking to men the playing field. '11 may be that it‘s to do with the fact that men are more used to getting shows.‘ she explains. “You still don‘t see that many women getting solo shows. in Scotland. or anywhere else. so perhaps women are wanting to do something for themselyes. without waiting to be asked. I know that the people at Embassy and Emergel) both show their own work. for example.‘
Sorcha Dallas. latterly of Switchspace and now running an eponymous exhibition space (pictured). is not so sure. ‘I don't know if I agree with that. You need women as key artists. and if women are being seen only in background roles as administrators. or think that they haye to be that way. that‘s a bad thing.‘ Both. however. agree that women organising in the Scottish art world is nothing new. 'lt‘s not really a trend.‘ Robinson suggests. 'Women like (‘athy Wilkes doing the (ilasgow Women's Library. or Lucy McKenzie doing Flourish. show that women haye been organising fora while.‘
Dallas. too. is keen to look to those who inspired her. ‘I think it‘s due to the success of key people who have been changing the system. putting women on an equal footing with their male couterpartsf she says. ‘At Glasgow School of Art. you have Sam Ainsley as head of the MFA. then there‘s Christine Borland and other women who were inyolyed in Transmission from the beginning. What they have done has really filtered through. Then there are people like Toby Webster. who has been inspirational in setting up the Modern Institute. regardless of being male or female.‘
So. we're back to where we started — women outnumber men in this particular corner of the Scottish art scene. which cannot be mere fluke. but no one would wish to ascribe their position to their gender. In the end. Dallas seems to hit the nail on the head by looking to the past. saying: ‘What‘s happening now is thanks to the history of women who have had to tight for people like me being able to do what I'm doing now. That‘s what needs to be celebrated: the women who haye changed things in the past.‘
RISK Can art change the world? Even a little bit? Politically motivated art is explored and enacted through poster walls. web art. discussions and an extensive film programme which involves pieces by Jeremy Deller and Mike Figgis. the YES Men and Damien Mahoney. CCA, Glasgow, until Sat 74 May.
Andy Warhol Revealing insight into the man (pictured) who made a career out of supposed superficiality. The surface of his prints and photographs comprehensively on show here expose a more complex and fractured self. National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, until Mon 2 May.
Belinda Guldl Industrial and equestrian. The two words don't often come together. but they do here with a steely, charging effect. See review. Tramway, Glasgow, until Sun 70 Apr.
' Kate Davis and Henrik Olesen Homoerotic desire spliced with artistic volition in the work of Berlin-based Olesen, while pencil and etched lines scratch at the subject and the surface in the new pieces by Davis. See review. Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, until Sat 2 Apr.
2: Simon Patterson Old classics like the “Great Bear“ meet with newer works such as 'High Noon' for a retrospective-cum- current show, united by the artist’s great wit. Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, until Sun 1 May.
:9 1'an of M Cities Edinburgh's great and good are celebrated and ridiculed by the scurrilous pen of 19th century caricaturist John Kay, while contemporary illustrator lain McIntosh turns his nib to the characters of Alexander McCall Smith '3 44 Scotland Street. National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, until Sun 8 May.
3‘ Mar—14 Apr 2005 THE LIST 101