arts
'I’m carrying rage like a blood-filled egg': the best of Glasgow International
From his deathbed photographs of his former lover to a face emerging from dirt, New Yorker David Wojnarowicz is the festival standout, although Renèe Helèna Browne’s film about cows contains multitudes
TL;DR
- David Wojnarowicz's exhibition, featuring paintings, photographs, and video works, sets a mood of rage against societal failures, reflecting his experiences in 1980s New York.
- The city of Glasgow itself mirrors themes of decay and inaccessibility, with cultural landmarks like the School of Art and Centre for Contemporary Art facing closures and renovations.
- Renèe Helèna Browne's film 'Flat' explores struggle and survival through the life of her uncle on a farm, touching on masculinity and humanity's place in the universe.
- Tanoa Sasraku's 'Tropical Hardware' uses sculptures to examine masculinity, warfare, and its connection to mineral wealth and violence.
- Rehana Zaman's 'Plantation' and Naeem Mohaiemen's 'Through a Mirror Darkly' highlight failing social and institutional structures, focusing on migrant workers and the commemoration of civil rights protests.
- Local projects, including Mandy McIntosh's bronze relief and Vincent Butler's sculpture, emphasize community efforts to restore neglected cultural landmarks.
- Katy Dove's archive and animated films at the Kinning Park Complex celebrate experimentation and collaboration.
- Rae-Yen Song's 'Tua Mak' is a life-affirming exhibition reconciling with themes of death, water spirits, and cyclicality.