Where to start…? City Centre.

On today’s blog I’m talking about my recent visit to Trongate 103, Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks and The Lighthouse. The great thing about these galleries is that they’re all handy enough to be situated in the City Centre so you don’t need to venture far to see something new.

First off The Lighthouse, situated on Mitchell Lane just off Buchanan Street, which has six floors to choose with five floors showcasing different styles of work and the sixth floor being an observatory allowing you the best view our beautiful City!

Right now they’re showing Glenn Murcutt’s exhibit “Architecture for Place”. Glenn Murcutt is an Australian architect, well known in his field and is a lecturing professor throughout the world. The buildings which he has created really are from the mind of an architectural genius and when you view the finished product after you read the scribbles and various maps of planning it’s hard not to be impressed. After visiting I felt I just had to highlight this exhibit.

Glenn Murcutt exhibit

Another thing I noticed in The Lighthouse is their promotion for ‘Many Hands’ which is a project that explores collaboration through local workshops. Lighthouse Late held a garment painting workshop on May 29th and the first exhibition is being shown right now. I had a look at the pieces in this first exhibit, mostly very bold handmade jewellery, ‘Many Hands’ look to combine photography, fashion design, fine art and illustration to facilitate opportunities for people to create artwork, products and garments.

The Many Hands exhibit is still showing at The Lighthouse and will be until August 2nd.

view of the city from the Lighthouse observatory

Trongate is a creative hub. Home of Tron Theatre as well as many eccentric and fabulous businesses. The great thing about Trongate 103 is on entering one area of the building you’ll find yourself making your way through the others as you capture different pieces.

Right now the Print Studio is home to an exhibit by Katie Ward. Inverness Katie manages to create emotive portraits combining techniques like collage and monotype. She has gained wide recognition for her work and has received the Residencies for Scotland Award in 2013. Her practice uses handmade books to make visual diaries, encapsulating her experiences in order to process her work.

I personally find Katie’s work emotionally captivating, making you question what she would have been going through in that particular moment in order to make her paintings. It’s abstract but not ‘slap dash’. They pull you in rather than making you step back in order to gain perspective. I would strongly recommend this exhibit on your visit.

As well as having exhibitions coming up soon all over Scotland the exhibit in Glasgow Print Studio is live up until the 2nd of August.

Next up, Street Level Photoworks whose Open for Business exhibit opens today. Showcasing nine particular photographers in the field of industry and its effects socially and economically in the UK. I was really intrigued by photographer Jonas Bendiksen’s work in this exhibit, Bradford artist Jonas incorporates photography and video and whilst keeping heavily on the subject matter he manages to stand out.

Jonas Bendiksen in the Open for Business exhibit

Open for Business is on until the 27th of August.

Lastly, Trongate 103 itself. The Trongate 103 plays host to eight organisations in the creative arts, including Street Level Photoworks and Glasgow Print Studio, these are: Project Ability, Transmission Gallery, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room, Glasgow Media Access Centre (GMAC) & Russian Cultural Centre & Café.

Luckily also opening today is the Comic Art: Millarworld and Beyond exhibit. If you’re a fan of Mark Millar and of course Scotland’s indie label Black Heart Press then I highly suggest coming to see this! Showcasing original prints from the Millarworld series (think Kickass, Chrononauts, American Jesus, etc) as well as many other graphic artists it is definitely worth a peek.

Black Heart Press itself is situated in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street and is home to the expansion of upcoming artists and has its own well established number of graphic novels including Maximum Alan, written by Ross Leonard it takes you on a very surreal journey in the life of Alan Moore (Watchmen) where

his peaceful routine is shattered by a horde of deadly multi-dimensional ‘Alan Moores’ out to murder him.

Black Heart Press logo featuring at the Comic Art exhibit

As part of the Glasgow’s Comic Con the Comic Art: Millarworld and Beyond exhibit will feature in Trongate 103 until the 30th of August.