For the next SPIN:Glasgow event, we will be visiting Lowsalt, a Glasgow-based, artist-led, not for profit organisation.
Still in its infancy, the organisation was set up in early 2006 with a fundamental focus on creativity and experimentation. Lowsalt aims to promote and facilitate emerging and established artists across a broad range of disciplines, and provides opportunities for artists to produce and exhibit their work within a free and professional environment. Lowsalt does not have a permanent space within the city, and has recently moved to these premises after having successfully exhibited work across the city in a disused shop front in the Saltmarket.
Lowsalt was established, and is run by, practising artists Kristy Schindler and Rebecca Anson-Armstrong, who act as programming and curatorial facilitators. Krisdy Schindler will be joining us to talk about the organisation and the exhibition.
Today your love, tomorrow the world is an exhibition of new work by four artists from around the world who are now based in Glasgow: Benjamin Merris, Hrafnhildur Hallsdottir, Alhena Katsof and Baldvin Ringsted. Loosely inspired by the Ramones song title, the exhibition comprises work that combines visions of post-rock melancholy with the bitter irony of songs of yore, featuring video, collage and drawing.
BENJAMIN MERRIS is an American artist living and working in Glasgow. Ben studied at the University of Massachusetts, Boston and moonlighted as a professional monster wrestler for three years. Romantic, unshakable childhood visions and the Glasgow School of Art MFA Course brought him to a new home. In the past year, he has exhibited and performed at intermedia in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and at CAFA in Beijing.
HRAFNHILDUR HALLSDOTTIR’s work strategically uses and abuses everyday materials. Her affinities lie with the stuff that others discard or disdain – cardboard, thread, string, cheap felt-tip pens and garishly coloured feathers. The many references to music, especially rock music, emphasises the artists desire to lose her self, and us, within the sonic architecture of a thunderous riff designed to obliterate rational thought and collapse the boundaries between art and life.
ALHENA KATSOF was born in Montreal, Canada. Alhena moved to Glasgow in 2005 to do an MFA at the Glasgow School of Art. Alhena’s practice is directly informed by the conceptual and aesthetic sensibilities of collage, which are pertinent both in their visual quality and sociological implications. Embedded within her work is a fractured storytelling and an intimate, melancholic humour. Although not overtly feminist, Alhena’s work is indebted to a feminist dialogue and to all of the confusion and opportunity that it provides. Alhena has exhibited her work in Canada and the US, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Beijing. Alhena has made a new video entitled For Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World.
BALDVIN RINGSTED exploits familiar or historically important found sounds and events in his work. His installations have included sculptures, sound, video, found objects, paintings and written manuscripts. Born in Akureyri in Iceland, he now lives and works in Glasgow. Ringsteds background is in music. He studied jazz theory and also worked as a rock and experimental musician. Baldvin has had several solo shows and taken part in group shows and projects in as diverse places as Finland and New York.
