Empty gallery will greet public at latest art show

No exhibits for unusual presentation by Dutch artist

One of Scotland’s most famous art museums will feature a bizarre new show – without exhibits.

The unusual exhibition by the Dutch artist Marlie Mul, entitled This Exhibition Has Been Cancelled, will leave the massive space empty for months on end.

As indicated by its title, there is no exhibition, and the gallery at the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art (GoMA) is empty apart from signs made by the artist declaring it to be cancelled.

Museum bosses say it hopes to make the public question how relevant a new art exhibition is in modern society.

The main gallery at the museum in Glasgow city centre will be empty until October 29.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Glasgow Museums said: “Mul’s conceptual gesture in this project is to act as an implicit critique of what is displayed within museums and galleries and the process that leads to it being placed there.

“By removing traditional content and opening the space for public use, Mul is augmenting the institution to question the relevance of an art exhibition in 2017. GoMA hopes the local community will seize this opportunity and propose alternative uses for the space.”

Forms will be left in the room, so that people who want to stage events in the gallery can propose their ideas.

Drawing classes, film screenings and yoga sessions have all been put forward as suggestions for how the space should be used.

Will Cooper, curator of contemporary art, said: “We’re excited by the different types of activities that might be on offer during this cancelled show.

“So far it’s looking like we’ll have some life drawing classes, yoga sessions, artist film screenings and I even think my daughter’s got Bounce and Rhyme scheduled in.

“We might even get a carpet bowls session on the go.”

The main gallery at Glasgow Museum of Modern Art will be empty for This Exhibition Has Been Cancelled.