GRAPHIC IMPACT OF GLASGOW’S WOMEN
featured in the exhibition, you can see so many different elements, from the dilapidated premise that the Studio started on to the working conditions, to working with children.”
Glasgow Print Studio’s archive collection currently represents the work of 435 artists, of whom 34 per cent are women. Graphic Impact exhibits work from a mix of genders, two thirds of which are women.
Of the eight members who founded the organisation in 1972, 50 per cent were women: Beth Fisher, Sheena McGregor, Eileen Ormiston and Jacki Parry.
Along with the prints they made, the contributions of these women also included physically labouring to kit out the workshop, applying for funding, running the workshop for members, providing education classes and editioning prints.
The community engagement panel included nine members of the GalGael community in Govan and ten people from Platform arts centre in Easterhouse.
Each member chose an archive print and made either an etching or a screenprints in response to that work.
Seven professional artists from the Print Studio each selected an archive print and made a new work responding to those archive prints. Both the archive prints and the works created in response are on display.
“What is interesting about the project also is that it is not finished, but continual,” said Kerry.
“Because of the massive scope we could only put a number of the pieces up, and only up from 1972 to present so there is the potential to still have more up.
“The fact that we have members reacting to the archive pieces creates a really nice continuity.
“The work is from the past, but even still it is influencing others to create more now and in the future.”
Works from the archive include pieces by Jacki Parry, Ashley Cook, Fiona Waston, Rachel Duckhouse, Monya Flanigan, Sam Ainsley, Christine Borland and Elspeth Lamb.
The seven Glasgow Print Studio members are Fiona Wilson, Maia Ronan, Helen de Main, Elke Finkenauer, Drew Mackie, Emma Booth and Mary Land.
The pieces on show are a mix of colours, textures and themes.
Some of the pieces approach women working with their children, or being one of their only circle to work while having kids. Others illustrate common themes and tropes like the ‘yellow ribbon’, a popular macabre tale, and tales of Chinese foot-binding inspired by a book from a members home library.
The pieces are made using varying materials, with one even bringing the textiles of scarves and fabrics as a nod to the Print Studio in its previous incarnation as a garment factory.