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BANKSY FILM: Exit through the gift shop. Suggested watching.

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Some further reading about Glasgows street art.

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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GLASGOW

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Introductory brief: to be completed before visit.

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In 1980 French Magnum photographer Raymond Depardon was commissioned by The Sunday Times Magazine to photograph Scotland's largest city: Glasgow, on the River Clyde. The city has long been known for its architectural heritage - from its majestic Victorian squares to stern rows of tenements and brutal industrial giants - much of this building being the product of the city's great Victorian-era wealth. However, in spite of this prosperous past and the city's pivotal role in Britain's industrial and cultural development, numerous areas of Glasgow were - at the time of Depardon's visit - poverty stricken. The photographer focused his work on Glasgow's famed slums and dock areas, capturing the imposing architecture and broad vistas, as well as the resilient nature of the city's inhabitants. The work resulted in the book Glasgow, published by Editions du Seuil in 2016. The following essay, by best-selling author William Boyd, appeared as the book's foreword.
A new collection of fine prints by Raymond Depardon - including a number from his Glasgow project - are available now on the Magnum Photos Shop.
I lived in Glasgow from 1971-1975 - I was a student at Glasgow University - and so came to know the city very well indeed. I have been back to Glasgow several times every year since then - my wife has family there - and I have seen at first hand, over the last four decades, the city's striking evolution from 19 th century relic to the modern, vibrant conurbation it is today. It's an intriguing idea to contemplate that when Raymond Depardon was in Glasgow in 1980-82, when he was taking these remarkable photographs, so was I. Conceivably our paths may have crossed, tangentially. What he was seeing and photographing were scenes that were very familiar to me.

But not to anyone else, I imagine. This is a risky generalisation but, outside of Scotland, I would say that Glasgow is something of a secret city. Indeed, when I think of other provincial cities in Britain - Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham - I realise I hardly have any real cognisance of them, any real idea of them, even though I have visited them from time to time. If this is true of my own country, then perhaps we can say that all big provincial cities in other countries are also secret cities to foreigners. What do we, the British, know of Lyon or Lille, for example, or Leipzig or Stuttgart, or Turin or Genoa, and so on? Glasgow, however, is a very interesting example. It's an old city, a medieval city, but it reached its apotheosis at the height of the British Empire in the middle of the 19 thcentury. It was rich, mercantile, bourgeois, burgeoningly prosperous. It has been described as the greatest 19 th century city in Britain, with good reason.

But when I went there in the 1970s, and when Raymond Depardon was there in the early 1980s, its glory days were far behind it and its glittering future lay many years ahead. When you left the centre of town, or the area where the university was (in the city's west end) it was very easy to find yourself in a neighbourhood of abject urban poverty and squalor. You were very aware of how hard the lives of the denizens of these districts were. It wasn't just the manifest decrepitude of the housing or the diminished quality of the goods in the shops - you saw deprivation and desperation etched in the faces of the young and the old.

I have a vivid memory from the early 1970s of walking back at dawn (after a party) through Govan - a dockside parish of the city that Depardon photographs in this collection. It was probably raining - sometimes it seems to rain every day in Glasgow - but I remember I was struck by the contrast between the austere solidity of the 19 th century buildings, the long high rows of tenement flats, as they are called, and the abject meanness of the wide empty streets I was walking through. There were patches of weed-strewn waste ground with smouldering fires, metal-shuttered shop fronts as if ready to repel a siege, abundant litter, wheel-less abandoned vehicles, graffiti - often of a virulent sectarian religious kind - and, when I encountered the odd person out and about at this early hour, a feeling of alarm. I felt I was an alien in an alien land. Certain districts of Glasgow were dangerous. You passed by another person quickly, with no eye-contact, head down.

These are the cityscapes and the localities that Depardon has captured so brilliantly and evocatively. And yet it's important to say that it is only one side of the city of Glasgow. There are whole streets and blocks of spectacular Victorian architecture, leafy suburbs of large beautiful houses, vast parks that are the rival of London's open spaces, imposing vistas - Glasgow is hilly - and civic buildings and churches of international renown.

Ian Nairn (1930-1983) is one of the greatest British writers on architecture and the urban landscape. He visited Glasgow for the first time in 1960 and had this to say: "Glasgow was a shock to me... I found what is without doubt the most friendly of Britain's big cities and probably the most dignified and coherent as well. In looks it is much more like the best part of American cities - Boston or Philadelphia - than anywhere in England." Even when Nairn contemplated Glasgow's most famous slum - the Gorbals - he was impressed: "It is laid out on a grid, with immensely dignified four-storey, stone-built terraces... in other circumstances it would be applauded as a splendid piece of urban design."

Glasgow's slums are the focus for Raymond Depardon's photographs. I recognise areas of Govan (by the river Clyde with the huge cranes of the now defunct shipyards in the background) and Maryhill, also very deprived. What is initially so striking about the photographs is the architecture. Depardon captures the long perspectives - the tall tenements set in their wide streets - and these form the backdrop to the human drama in the foreground: a mother pushing a pram across the road, a drunk comatose in a shop doorway, a child on a bicycle, a little boy blowing an incandescent pink bubble of gum on the edge of the photograph's frame. I wonder if it was the very strangeness of these juxtapositions that drew Depardon to Glasgow: urban deprivation contrasted with what Nairn calls "one of the best examples in architecture of completely fulfilled promise." Impressive grandeur confronted with the bleak desperation at the centre of the human condition. If I'm right then I think that this gives us a clue to what makes these photographs so memorable. I don't think that Depardon was interested in being a "street photographer" in Glasgow - in the manner of Brassai or Weegee or Vivian Maier - even though there are certain images that show us how the underclass lives and how forlorn their existence must be. As I look at these photographs what seems to determine the image is more an idea of composition rather than social reportage - an idea of pictorial structure rather than demotic documentary detail. Of course, they reflect a place and a time but, even though they are in colour, the Glasgow light - its tarnished humidity, its grisaille - gives the photographs something of the timelessness that monochrome bestows.

Conceivably, my familiarity with the city is a potential disadvantage when I consider Depardon's photographs - I know it too well - so it requires something of a thought-experiment to try and imagine what these urban images look like to someone who has never been to Glasgow, who knows nothing of its "look" or its reputation. I would imagine that these Depardon street views would seem almost surreal: the long vistas, the exaggerated perspective, the big skies, the diminution of the human in the context of the larger frame. These images of Govan and Maryhill take on some of the aspects of the background city streets in the paintings of Giorgio Di Chirico or Paul Delvaux. And, indeed, mentioning Delvaux reminds me of the English novelist J.G.Ballard - another connoisseur of the dystopian city. Ballard was very inspired by Delvaux and I think any reader of Ballard would see in Depardon's images of Glasgow a rendition of the classic Ballardian tropes of alienation, of the modern city's heartlessness, its aloof unconcern for its inhabitants.

All this artistic and literary comparison and speculation and allusion is a way of paying tribute to the real potency of Raymond Depardon's photographs. These are great photographs of a city and its people - regardless of the time they were taken. Glasgow is the subject but in a way the city in these photographs is at a strange remove from the actual city on the banks of the River Clyde. However, all great photographs have the capacity to make you look at the world anew, as if the view through someone else's lens reinvigorates what your eyes can see - but may be missing.

As it happens I had been looking at Depardon's photographs before I returned to Glasgow two weeks ago. The city is largely transformed today from the one that Depardon photographed in the early 1980s, let alone the one that Ian Nairn wrote about in the 1960s. The abandoned wharves, shipyards and warehouses of the riverside - Glasgow's imperial industrial heartland and the source of its wealth - are now landscaped parks of condominiums and gated communities and vast silvered monoliths of modernist architecture: new bridges, exhibition and conference centres, arenas. And yet, you can turn a corner and this new 21 stcity disappears and in its place are the wide rainwashed streets of an older Glasgow, the sandstone tenement blocks standing tall against the cloud-littered sky. It seems like a vision - as if the 19 th century has somehow returned. Raymond Depardon's Glasgow still lives on.
William Boyd. London, September 2015.
Boyd's new novel, Love is Blind, is out now.

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Raymond Depardon * Glasgow * Magnum Photos Magnum Photos

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The French photographer's work in Scotland's famously gritty metropolis captured much of what the author saw as the true spirit of the city

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Morning class: Welcome

ROOM C.06.015

Time 11am - 12pm

LECTURERS: Iain Smart / Joe Glover

12pm - 1pm: Lunch on campus.

Afternoon class

1pm - 3pm

ROOM C.06.015

Lecturer: Joe Glover

Activity: Photo walk: The BARRAS, Glasgows east end.

Review days images.

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Morning Class (with Iain Smart)

Room C.06.099 (Mac lab)

Time: 9.30am - 12pm: editing images from the week so far. Getting work print ready.

Selections for exhibition.

12pm - 1pm: Lunch

Afternoon class

1pm - 3pm

Street level / Glasgow Gallery of photography visits.

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Forest of Black | Promos Commercials Documentary Film

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Glasgow Life 'Next Stop Glasgow' | Forest of Black | Promos Commercials Documentary Film

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Forest of Black | Promos Commercials Documentary Film

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An introduction to working in our photography studios, we will look at High key and low key portraiture and number of lighting techniques

Morning class: 9.30am - 12pm

Shooting in the studio (studios C.06.006 and C.06.007)

12pm - 1pm: lunch

Afternoon class:

1pm - 3pm

Editing portraits: Room C.06.099 (Mac lab)

We will finish by putting together a digital folio of the work produced during your week.

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Morning

9.30am - 12pm (room 698 computer room)

Complete digital portfolio.

Powerpoint of best 15 pictures taken over the week (with Joe)

Lunch: Scottish lunch 12 PM - 1PM

Afternoon: 1pm - 3pm

Feedback session with Joe and Iain with prints of your work exhibited.

We will hang our small exhibition in one of the studios, and have feedback session, on the week.

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I chose to photograph this artwork because it looks like a pirate ship that arrived in the middle of the city. I found it surprising and very original. The colors are bright and full of energy, and the shape of the ship is unusual and creative. What I find interesting is how the artist mixed reality and imagination. The painting on the wall behind the ship makes the scene even more real, as if the ship is ready to sail. This artwork changes the atmosphere of the place and makes people stop, look, and dream for a moment.

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I chose to take this photo because the person watching the video seems nostalgic and emotional. The scene on the screen, showing someone by the sea, adds a feeling of calm and memory. I edited the photo by making the blue color stronger, because blue is the color of nostalgia and dreams. What I find interesting in this artwork is the atmosphere it creates. It feels like time has stopped, and the viewer is lost in their thoughts. The installation makes us reflect on our own memories and emotions, which is very powerful and touching for me.

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I chose to photograph this artwork because it immediately touched me. It is a large embroidered eye, and the colors are very similar to my own eyes. This created a strong feeling of introspection, like a mirror to my soul. What I find interesting is how something so simple — an eye — can express something so deep. It felt like my own gaze was trying to tell me something, to make me reflect on myself. The texture and details of the embroidery give life to the piece, and for a moment, I felt completely connected to it.

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I took this photo because the statue looks like it is searching for itself, trying to find its identity. The black and white effect makes the scene more emotional and sad. What I find interesting is the large number of faces on the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. For me, each face could represent a different side of the statue, a different “mask” it used to fit into society. But in the end, it still doesn’t know who it really is. This artwork made me think about how we sometimes lose ourselves while trying to be accepted by others.

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I took this photo because the infinity symbol represents union and eternity. Above it, we see a photo of two people holding hands, as if they are handcuffed by this symbol. It shows that their bond is strong and unbreakable. I edited the image by adding shades of pink because pink is the color of love, tenderness, and connection. What I find interesting is how the artwork combines a simple shape with a powerful meaning. It made me think about how love or deep relationships can feel endless, like something that goes beyond time and space.

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I took this photo because it shows a mirror of action. A young woman is taking a picture of a framed photo, and I decided to capture her in that exact moment. I found it beautiful and symbolic. It’s like a chain of passion: the artist took the first photo, she admired and photographed it, and I photographed her. What I find interesting is how this simple moment shows our shared love for photography and art. It’s also a way to freeze a moment where three people, even if they don’t know each other, are connected by the same artistic emotion.

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Why I chose this artwork:
I chose this street art because it is very big and impressive. It covers the whole wall of a building, and it’s impossible not to notice it when you walk by.

What I find interesting:
I like how the artist mixed painting and sculpture. The ship comes out of the wall, almost like it’s real. The colors are bright and cheerful, and they give energy to the place. It reminds me of the history of Toulon as a port city, and it makes the city center more attractive for people and tourists

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Why I chose this artwork:
I chose this artwork because it touched me emotionally. It shows two children hugging and kissing, and that gives a strong message of love and innocence.

What I find interesting:
The colors are simple, mostly pink, black and white, but very powerful. The black hearts and the big heart behind the children make the message very clear. I also like that it is small and hidden on an electric box, but still very expressive. It shows that street art doesn’t need to be big to be meaningful.

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Why I chose it:
I liked how the painting at the end of the small street makes the place look more alive and modern.

What I find interesting:
The mural mixes old and new styles. It shows people and buildings, and the colors are very nice. It also shows how street art can improve public spaces.

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Why I chose this artwork:
I chose this mural because it looks like an old advertisement from the past. It feels very nostalgic and gives the street a unique atmosphere. It also made me curious about the history of the building and the neighborhood.

What I find interesting:
What I like the most is how the artist recreated a vintage style. The colors and the font look like they are from the early 20th century. There is also a cat listening to a gramophone, which is very funny and creative. It’s interesting how street art can make us feel connected to the past, just by painting on a wall.

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Why I chose this artwork:
This mural immediately caught my attention because of the bright colors and the natural theme. I found it very beautiful and calming. It’s nice to see a wall full of plants in the middle of the city.

What I find interesting:
What I find special is how the artist used abstract shapes to represent the plants. It’s not realistic, but we can still feel the energy of nature. The colors are warm and soft, and they give life to the street. This kind of art makes the city more welcoming and creative. It also reminds us how important nature is, even in urban spaces.

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Why I chose this artwork:
I chose this one because it looks very realistic and powerful. The seagull looks like it is flying out of the wall. It’s not just a painting – it’s a real experience when you see it in person.

What I find interesting:
The 3D effect is amazing. The shadows and details are very well done. It shows that the artist has a lot of talent. I also like that the seagull is an animal we often see near the sea, so it represents the local culture and environment. It’s a great way to connect the art with the identity of the town.

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I chose this street art because the colors are very bright and the shapes are fun. I know it comes from the anime Dragon Ball, but I don’t really watch it. I didn’t choose it because of that. I just like the style and how it looks on the wall. The trees, sky, and flying ball make it look like a dream. The spaceship is very round and original. I think this art makes the place more interesting and less boring. Even if I don’t know the story, I enjoy the painting a lot.

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This artwork is in an old street, but the painting looks modern. I like the big face with closed eyes. The colors are soft and beautiful. In the middle, there is a small picture of a girl with a red balloon. It makes me feel something emotional, maybe sad or calm. I chose this because it’s different and strong. I like how the old and the new mix together. The place becomes special because of the painting.

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I chose this painting because I love nature. The artist painted big plants and leaves in many colors like green, red, and pink. There is also a door, but it becomes part of the art. I think it is nice because it feels like nature is growing on the wall. It’s very pretty and peaceful. This kind of street art makes the city more beautiful and fun to explore.

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I chose this artwork because the woman’s face is very powerful. Her eyes are big and expressive, and the colors are strong. I like how the artist painted the hair and the hand with lots of details. She looks confident and cool. The lollipop makes the image fun and a bit mysterious. It’s interesting to see such a big face on a small building. This street art catches your attention when you walk by. It shows that art can change a boring place into something special and beautiful. I think it gives life and personality to the street.

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This is one of my favorite street art pieces because it is very realistic. The fish looks like it is swimming out of the wall. I like the bright colors and the shiny details. The artist used the shape of the building well to make the fish look real. It is creative and fun to see something like this in the city. Normally, you see fish in the sea, not on buildings! This painting makes people stop and smile. I think it’s a great way to bring art to everyone in a surprising and joyful way.

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This painting is full of color and emotion. I chose it because it mixes nature and people. The big eye is beautiful, and the flowers around it are bright. The green and pink colors look very nice together. I think the eye shows a feeling, like it is dreaming or thinking. The flowers give a peaceful and soft feeling to the wall. I love how the artist made something calm and beautiful in the middle of the street. It makes people feel good when they walk past it. This artwork is like a small garden on a wall.

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I chose to photograph this street artwork because it represents the small forest spirits from the film Princess Mononoke, which is one of my favorite movies. I find it interesting because the artwork creates a strong contrast between the simplicity of the characters and the colorful, detailed background behind them. These spirits are usually shown in calm, natural environments, so seeing them in an urban and vivid setting makes the piece stand out. It also reflects how nature and modern life can sometimes meet in unexpected ways, which is a key theme in the film.

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I chose to photograph this street art because, once again, it’s a reference to a movie I really love: Shrek! I found this piece interesting because it didn’t exactly match the style or themes of the other artworks around it, yet it still felt like it belonged there. What I liked most is how just a simple detail like a specific shade of green and two small ears - is enough to recognize the character. It shows how powerful visual symbols can be, and how even minimal elements can evoke strong memories and emotions linked to pop culture.

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I chose this photo because I found the contrast quite amusing: a little sailor character on a stamp, placed in the middle of a forest. It’s surprising, because the object represented in the artwork doesn’t belong in this natural setting at all. That unexpected mix caught my attention. I also think the piece is interesting because of its simple graphics, which are not overly detailed, yet still very eye-catching. The artwork plays with contrast and placement in a fun and creative way, making it stand out from its surroundings and sparking curiosity.

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I took a photo of this street art piece because, at first glance, it reminded me of the "Gouzous" created by the artist Jace. I found it interesting because, even though the artwork is very simple in its style, it carries a powerful message—especially one of peace. It also expresses the idea of freedom through creativity and art. The minimalist design doesn’t take away from its meaning; on the contrary, it makes the message even more accessible and universal. It’s the kind of artwork that speaks without needing many details.

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I took a photo of this street art piece mainly for its aesthetic. I found it really well done and I especially liked the way the colors were used. The mix of warm tones creates a peaceful and dreamy atmosphere. I think this artwork is interesting because it speaks to all of us in a way—it reminds us of those simple summer moments, like watching a sunset on a white sandy beach. It captures a feeling of calm and happiness that many people can relate to, making the piece both beautiful and meaningful.

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I took a photo of this street art because it refers to an anime I really like: Dragon Ball. Besides being very well done, the piece features an iconic character—Tortue Geniale —which immediately caught my attention. I find it interesting because it blends pop culture with nature in an unexpected way. Seeing such a well-known figure carved into a stone in the middle of a large forest creates a surprising contrast. It feels like a hidden tribute, bringing together two different worlds: the peacefulness of nature and the energy of anime culture.

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D8 is a creative design agency based in Glasgow with studios in Europe and Asia. Learn more about our work with Tennent’s.

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Morning class

ROOM C.06.015

TIME 9.30AM - 12PM

Talk on street art with Amy

12pm - 1pm: Lunch

Afternoon class

Activity: Murals walk (times TBC)

Review days Images

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Rogue-one is a graffiti artist from Glasgow. He has been mastering the art of spraypainting for over 15 years. His work ranges from stencils, pieces, characters, 3D, canvases and to large scale productions. also working in oils and acrylics and graphic design.In his own words: „I started like most graffiti artists do, the typical tagging […]

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Smug (aka Sam Bates), is an Australian contemporary street artist.

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images by Adrian Brannan - Optical Photo Collages by the Glasgow Artist, including scenes of London Barcelona Lucerne and Glasgow

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Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland’s most popular free attractions. It has been a favourite with visitors since 1901.

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https://d8.studio/projects/wellpark-brewery/

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Written version of Rev Johnstone's letter is here

Clicking on the Glasgow Cathedral Banner above will bring you back to this page.

GLASGOW CATHEDRAL IS NOW SCHEDULED TO REOPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON SATURDAY. FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING HERE.

Rev Mark has created a virtual tour of the Cathedral as a podcast.

As we approach Advent and Christmas

The current situation in the Cathedral is that there are no public services being held. Although the regulations allow for a total of fifty at any given time, the unique nature of Glasgow Cathedral has forced the Kirk Session to take the reluctant decision not to proceed with public worship for the foreseeable future, (although private prayer is allowed when the building is open). We are providing a service each week online. We are currently discussing how to move forward into the Christmas season, however with a limit of available places for congregation at about 40 it is unlikely that we will be able to hold anything approaching a normal watchnight service. We may be able to provide an online service beginning at the usual time, but these things are still in the planning stage.

We hope you can access our various resources with ease. During this time, the work of the Cathedral continues and we are grateful for the financial support of the congregation both within the Cathedral and throughout the world who attend our services online. Further to this we express our gratitude for those wishing to support our worship ministry at this time of development. May God continue to Bless you.

Donations appear to go to Collie Productions, however they are remitted to the Cathedral without any commissions as a part of their ongoing support.

Mark Johnstone, Minister of Glasgow Cathedral
Freewill Offering
Podcasting at Glasgow Cathedral
Listen to our series "Thoughts and Music" Listen to our series Cathedralcast. (Worship)

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Written version of Rev Johnstone's letter is here Clicking on the Glasgow Cathedral Banner above will bring you back to this page. Rev Mark has created a virtual tour of the Cathedral as a podcast. The current situation in the Cathedral is that there are no public services being held.