SPG invite you to download their Govan Sculpture Trail celebrating Govan’s rich and varied sculptural heritage past and present. The trail starts at Glasgow Sciences Centre with the wonderful Floating Head by Richard Groom, created for Glasgow’s Garden Festival in 1988 and newly restored for Doors Open Door 2021. Created in collaboration with Govan’s expert shipbuilders, Floating Head is a combined triumph of heritage, engineering and is also a sustainable artwork
As you follow the route along towards Govan Road you will encounter the hidden sculptural treasure, 170 Bollards by Daniel Burren (1988) and the contemporary sculptural landmark by Poised Array by Toby Paterson (2007). You will also encounter a wealth of historical works hinting at the legacy of Govan’s great female philanthropists Isabella Elder, Dinah Pearce and Jane Cossar and the recently commissioned sculpture of political activist and Glasgow’s first female Magistrate Mary Barbour.
This tour takes a look at both the positive and darker sides of Govan’s artistic past, with the links of the Linthouse Portico in Elder Park to the Spreull estate, and John Spreull, the first recorded slave owner in Glasgow. You will learn about Govan’s War Memorial which, undertaken by Robert Gray’s sculpting firm, provided work for disabled war veterans after the First World War, and the Aitken Memorial Fountain, restored in 2011, celebrating the life of John Aitken, a local doctor famous for his support of Govan’s poor and overcrowded population.
In addition to Govan’s existing public sculptures SPG has also sited six contemporary works installed especially for the duration of the trail. Works by Alex Allan, Deniz Uster, Jack Cheetham, Tiago Rodriguez, Matt Barnes and Esther Gamsu will be sited in unusual and interesting locations allowing participants to explore new sites within Govan.
We will be using a fantastic app called Guidigo to present our tours. Guidigo is free to download and makes exploring the city easy and fun!
HOW TO:
1. Download the Guidigo App on your phone.
2. Search in the app for the name of the trail or Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival.
3. You can also click the ‘Visit this Trail’ link to view the trail on your browser.
We’d love to keep in touch to send you updates, news and reminders about Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival.
Organised by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, Glasgow Doors Open Days is part of a family of Doors Open Days events taking place across Scotland throughout September, coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust.
Glasgow Building Preservation Trust
Wellpark Enterprise Centre
120 Sydney Street, Glasgow
G31 1JF
www.gbpt.org
Registered Company Number: SC079721 Scottish Charity Number: SC015443
© Copyright 2023 Glasgow Doors Open Days.