Alistair Hardaker | Image: Nathan Coley's artwork (Glasgow Life)
Nathan Coley’s text-based work installed on Glasgow Dental Hospital roof in Sauchiehall Street, supported by Art Fund and National Fund.
An illuminated text sculpture by Glasgow artist Nathan Coley has been installed on the roof of Glasgow Dental Hospital and School in Sauchiehall Street.
The work, titled “WE ARE THE MONUMENT”, is one of three Coley artworks acquired by Glasgow Life Museums with support from Art Fund and the National Fund for Acquisitions.
The sculpture comprises 16 LED illuminated capital letters, each 46cm high, spelling out the phrase on a scaffolding framework spanning 10m.
Coley, a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2007. His work spans sculpture, photography and film, and is held in public and private collections. Other text-based illuminated sculptures by the artist include “We Must Cultivate Our Garden” (2006), which is in the Tate Collection, and “There Will Be No Miracles Here” (2006), located at Edinburgh’s National Galleries of Scotland.
The title “WE ARE THE MONUMENT” is taken from a text by American writer Rebecca Solnit. The text discusses how cities in the United States memorialise major events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, arguing that the true memorial is not the monument created to mark the event, but the people and community who helped their neighbours and lived on.
Coley explained: “WE ARE THE MONUMENT asks why and how we memorialise events, how public statues represent us (or not), who and what they are for, and what role they have in our public life. At a time in our culture when questions of representation and visibility are polarising communities, the work is, hopefully, inclusive, but also challenging.
Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, added: “We’re delighted to have acquired works by internationally acclaimed Glasgow artist Nathan Coley for the city’s museum collection.
“Its location also supports the ambitions of the Sauchiehall Street Culture and Heritage District redevelopment project that aims to celebrate the history of this much-loved city centre area and take forward its renewal.”
The work will be displayed on the hospital roof for its first year of public display.
