This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/feb/01/glasgow-school-arts-ashes-turned-artworks-fund-rebuild

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Glasgow School of Art's ashes turned into artworks to fund rebuild Glasgow School of Art's ashes turned into artworks to fund rebuild
(1 day later)
Some of the biggest names in art, from Grayson Perry to Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, have created artworks from the ashes of Glasgow School of Art to help raise funds for the building’s restoration.Some of the biggest names in art, from Grayson Perry to Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, have created artworks from the ashes of Glasgow School of Art to help raise funds for the building’s restoration.
The school was gutted by a fire in May 2014, and as part of an appeal towards resurrecting the historic Mackintosh building, artists were sent the charred remains and asked to craft them into a work of art.The school was gutted by a fire in May 2014, and as part of an appeal towards resurrecting the historic Mackintosh building, artists were sent the charred remains and asked to craft them into a work of art.
The Ash to Art project has seen Perry make a glazed ceramic urn with the words “Art is dead. Long live art” emblazoned on it, Douglas Gordon create a sculpture in the shape of a cross from the ashes and then cast it in bronze, and Kapoor make a red perspex box filled with burnt wood fragments.The Ash to Art project has seen Perry make a glazed ceramic urn with the words “Art is dead. Long live art” emblazoned on it, Douglas Gordon create a sculpture in the shape of a cross from the ashes and then cast it in bronze, and Kapoor make a red perspex box filled with burnt wood fragments.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Perry. “It’s the most famous art school building in Britain. It’s also the masterpiece of [Charles Rennie] Mackintosh. It’s a double tragedy. I was very excited when I received the box of charcoal. I had an idea almost immediately and the idea of making an urn was an obvious thing to do. The idea of memorialising or celebrating the difficulty – honouring the wound. It’s something I’m trying to do. Move on and make the most of it.”“It’s a tragedy,” said Perry. “It’s the most famous art school building in Britain. It’s also the masterpiece of [Charles Rennie] Mackintosh. It’s a double tragedy. I was very excited when I received the box of charcoal. I had an idea almost immediately and the idea of making an urn was an obvious thing to do. The idea of memorialising or celebrating the difficulty – honouring the wound. It’s something I’m trying to do. Move on and make the most of it.”
Other artists involved include Simon Starling, Cornelia Parker, the Chapman brothers and Sir Peter Blake. Each was sent a specific piece of debris, telling them where it had been collected, and given free rein to make whatever they chose.Other artists involved include Simon Starling, Cornelia Parker, the Chapman brothers and Sir Peter Blake. Each was sent a specific piece of debris, telling them where it had been collected, and given free rein to make whatever they chose.
Gordon said he received a small section of wood from the building’s library. “It sat in my studio in Berlin, on my desk, next to a classic 60s ashtray that a friend had given me – the irony,” he said.Gordon said he received a small section of wood from the building’s library. “It sat in my studio in Berlin, on my desk, next to a classic 60s ashtray that a friend had given me – the irony,” he said.
“In any case it reminded me of my times in the library, where one either craned one’s neck in order to look up very high, or bent one’s head in order to read a book. It has a kind of traditional, religious or at least a devotional gesture to it. And when I looked at the pieces of wood, I moved them slightly and realised that it was, indeed, a cross.“In any case it reminded me of my times in the library, where one either craned one’s neck in order to look up very high, or bent one’s head in order to read a book. It has a kind of traditional, religious or at least a devotional gesture to it. And when I looked at the pieces of wood, I moved them slightly and realised that it was, indeed, a cross.
“Regarding the material and the process, I wanted to use extreme heat in order to make something that would not burn, therefore, the bronze.”“Regarding the material and the process, I wanted to use extreme heat in order to make something that would not burn, therefore, the bronze.”
All the works will be auctioned by Christie’s in March to help raise the £13.5m needed to fully rebuild the Mackintosh-designed building. The restored building is scheduled to reopen in spring 2019. Initially commissioned by the branding agency J Walter Thompson, all the works will be auctioned by Christie’s in March to help raise the £13.5m needed to fully rebuild the Mackintosh-designed building. The restored building is scheduled to reopen in spring 2019.