Jack & Jill

International Women’s Day is here and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a look at our representation in Glasgow’s art scene.

I was online early this morning and caught the attention of a recent “debacle” about a certain naked woman plastering herself over twitter and the few women calling her out on her attempt of using it to promote herself as some sort of role model. Just as I was about to throw my laptop into the River Clyde and have my vagina sewn up I thought “You know, I wonder what’s going on with women in our great artistic city”. So I went online and… I didn’t find a lot going on, sadly. I personally feel that women are rather underrepresented in design. Which, following the recent female representation in the gaming industry, is a shame because art can be so gender neutral. The exhibitions I have come across from women have been very strong on the message of their gender which is great and brings a message that we seem to be lacking in the local industry. What I did find though is my own personal pick of what you can see in the city today and really soon. Check this out.

DevoArt! I actually liked this page months ago because, admittedly, I’m a big Devo fan. Yet in recent weeks I’d noticed a flurry of goings on and checking her Facebook page I found DevoArt was working in the infamous Glasgow Central station creating some of talented, hard working and beautiful pieces! To see it is to believe it and I have to say it’s refreshing to see and hear about a female graffiti artist in the City getting the recognition they rightly deserve. Have to say here, I am a massive fan of all the work that we see all over the city by the awesome artists that create and make our place look even more amazing. Male or female, our graffiti artists are brilliant and on par with New York.

I don’t want to place any of her photos here without permission as I checked and most aren’t tagged or watermarked SO you’re going to have to put your trust in me and visit her Facebook page…now..
[www.facebook.com/DevoArt/]

Glad to say DevoArt also has a solo art show coming up on April 1st at Mohairs in Glasgow.

As well as the Women’s Library Glasgow also proudly hosts the Society for Women Artists with a new opening every September. You can find the website here for more information [www.gswa.org.uk]

The Modern Art Gallery has never been shy in exhibiting a brilliant array of female artists and 2016 is no different with the upcoming project of Who’s exploiting who in the Deep Blue Sea? by Cosima Von Bonin. Bonin, a German contemporary artist, brings her exhibition to Glasgow. Her work can be described as colourful, imaginative creations which can be joyful, questionable and simply wonderful. Please don’t miss it.

Another one to look out for is Edinburgh based Tessa Lynch who’s also being exhibited at the GoMa. Her work features a mixture of projects, posters and prints of her work which comes across as unashamedly fierce and joyfully direct. Make sure to catch her at the GoMa as well as her site here for more info [www.tessalynch.com].

Feeling a bit better? Good. Now pick up those tools and get to work.

Happy International Women’s Day people.

• L