Shocked artist Jolomo joins in calls to see return of the Mack
A BEST-SELLING Scottish artist has thrown his support behind the campaign to rebuild the Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh Building.
John Lowrie Morrison, known as Jolomo, became the latest to join calls for the Mack to be rebuilt as he visited the shell of the building for the first time since it was devastated by a blaze in June.
The former GSoA student said: “It’s so sad to see it like this. It should be rebuilt and should continue to be a working art school, not just a relic that people will come and see. There’s really no other way to do this. We can’t lose such an iconic building.”
John, 70, studied in the historic building in 1967 as a student of drawing and painting.
He added: “To matriculate and walk through the swing doors, it was like walking into another world - like going into Narnia through the wardrobe. I think it’s like that for everybody. We all loved it, it became part of our psyche.
“It’s shocking to see the impact of the fire, and how it has affected not only the Art School but many people who live and work nearby. But all that scaffolding means business - one has to hope it will come back to life.”
The artist’s latest exhibition at the nearby Glasgow Gallery on Bath Street will donate part of its proceeds to the Mackintosh Campus Appeal, which he has supported since the school’s first fire in 2014.
The exhibit, From Glasgow to the Rough Bounds of Ardnamurchan, which runs until November 10, includes paintings of Townhead just before demolition in the early 1970s.
It was this site where John went to visit the former studio of the artist Joan Eardley on McAusland Street, just before the building was knocked down.
Joan, who died in 1963, is regarded as one of the finest Scottish painters of the 20th century, and was a major inspiration to John.
He said: “We knew her studio was about to be demolished so Geoff Squire, who was my fourth year tutor at GSA, and I went down to have a look. The door was ajar so we went in. There were still paintings and drawings scattered about. It was incredible seeing the splattered paint, thinking that’s where she worked.”
“Geoff said I should take some drawings, but I couldn’t do it, I would have felt like a thief. I went back to Townhead a few times myself on the bus to do drawings of the area. My new paintings are based on those drawings”, he added
The artist will also support the school with proceeds from a 2019 calendar.
Alan Horn, director of development for Glasgow School of Art, said: “We’re delighted that Jolomo is continuing his association with The Glasgow School of Art through a range of exciting, creative projects.
“The last few months have been particularly challenging, and we would like to thank Jolomo for his continued kind thoughts and ongoing support.”