compass gallery @ The Scottish Football Museum

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The Force and Form of Memory

The Scottish Football Museum, Hampden Park, Glasgow The Force and Form of Memory Opens 24th November 2011 till 7th January 2012

We are very excited about this exhibition. What happens when you ask a group of creative and imaginative artists to explore the theme of Memory? You’ll probably get a myriad of different answers. Perhaps a family holiday, the lyrics of a song, a trip to the theatre, a feeling of peace in a familiar place, a loved friend or relative losing their memory, a story from the past, your favourite comfy chair, the day that we won the Cup, wartime reminiscences. We selected and invited a group of 72 artists from across 12 13 Scotland, and some from further afield, to create a special work with their own interpretation of the theme.

The artists vary greatly in style, age and background. Amongst those participating, there are established Royal Scottish Academicians, senior art school lecturers, full time painters, sculptors and recent graduates. Some work in bronze, some in glass, others are figurative or surrealist painters and printmakers. So the interpretations of the theme could be very wide apart. Anything from narrative to a psychological study, a visual metaphor or treasured reminiscence. In fact the exhibition could be quite a surprise package as much to us as to you, ranging from the obvious and predictable to the somewhat unexpected. Each specially chosen artist has his or her own individual response to the topic, creating a lasting sensory and visual experience for the onlooker. There will be humour, melancholy, pathos, fear, happiness, joy and all the emotions that make up the human spirit.

The response of these artists has been fantastic, with many saying that the subject was 14 15 inspirational, touching them in a personal sense. The works in this exhibition explore ‘The Force and Form of Memory’ and the impact it has on our lives. Art, in its widest sense, plays an important role, enhancing the quality of our day to day lives. However, its importance as cognitive decline sets in for people with dementia is not yet really understood or appreciated. Often a person who may not have spoken for a long time, may suddenly remember a past event or person. This sudden return of memory can be triggered by seeing an image, an object, or even hearing a particular piece of music. Compass Gallery is working in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, raising awareness of the impact dementia has on the lives of those affected by the illness. All works are for sale, in aid of Alzheimer Scotland. 1 James Tweedie 2 Lys Hansen, ALAM DA (Edin) PPSA Hon. SSA 3 Cameron Ross 4 Frank Pottinger, RSA 5 Barry McGlashan 6 Louise Schmid 7 Alasdair Wallace 8 Michael McVeigh 9 Ronald Rae 10 Peter Thomson 11 David Gillanders 12 Doug Cocker, RSA 16 17 13 Calum Colvin, RSA 14 Whyn Lewis 15 Richard Nott 16 Alan Davie, CBE HRSA 17 Henry Kondracki

compass gallery 178 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL 0141 221 6370 compass gallery is a registered not-for-profit charity. The commission from

www.compassgallery.co.uk mail@compassgallery.co.uk sales supports the gallery and its artists. Compass Gallery is supported by Glasgow City Council.