To celebrate the bicentenary of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson‘s birth a programme of events and activities have been planned to take place throughout 2017. We will continue to update this calendar throughout the year with more and more exciting events as these are confirmed so please keep checking back. You can also sign up to our e-mail newsletter here to stay up to date.
Things as they are/as they ought to be is an exhibition of works spanning sculpture, film and textiles by artists Olivia Jones and Alberta Whittle. Taking place inside the ruin of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s first church, the building’s context and style have acted as catalysts for conversations surrounding memory, history and appropriation between the curator and contributing artists. Experimenting with the tensions around dominant/collateral narratives and attributions, Jones and Whittle’s work seeks to explore such pressures and focus on historical interpretations or connotations that are often neglected.
Alexander Dennistoun commissioned a grand design from James Salmon for a new middle class suburb. However, as the 19th century ended, pressure to house Glasgow’s influx of workers forced higher population density, creating the community’s extraordinary variety. Led by Roger Guthrie of the Alexander Thomson Society.
Meeting point: Duke Street Post Office (1 Annfield Place)
The Alexander Thomson Society are pleased to present a rare books event in association with The Mitchell Library.
Glasgow architect and director of the Society, Scott Abercrombie, will deliver a talk giving a historical context to the importance of these books in relation to Thomson’s work and other contemporary Glaswegian architects. He will discuss built examples where the influence of these texts can be found in the architecture of Glasgow or where the ideas that they present have influenced the Thomson’s design philosophy.
Following this introduction a number of rare editions of these books will be made available for your perusal by The Mitchell Library. Due to the sensitivity of some of these texts the we have had to limit the number of tickets for this event, so book early to avoid disappointment.
The Save Egyptian Halls symposium brings speakers together discuss the significance of this A-listed building and how it might be saved.
Timetable tbc, speakers include:
Niall Murphy – Glasgow City Heritage Trust
Fiona Sinclair – Fiona Sinclair Architects
Scott Abercrombie / Mark Baines – The Alexander Thomson Society
Ben Adam – David Narro Associates
Andrew McConnell – Glasgow Building Preservation Trust
Dara Parsons – Historic Environment Scotland
Jamie McNamara – Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
We are delighted that this year’s Alexander Thomson Lecture will be delivered by Amin Taha. The London-based, Stirling Prize nominated architect of buildings such as 15 Clerkenwell Close and Barrett’s Grove will deliver a talk reflecting on his work and his approach to architecture.
The Society were interested by Amin’s approach to the use of stone masonry, texture and pattern, and his abstracted use of classical forms in his Upper Street project.