A new exhibition of archives, textiles and ephemera is offering a peek into the creative culture of 1980s Glasgow.
Instant Whip: The Textiles and Papers of Fraser Taylor 1977–87 Revisited shines a light on the archive of Fraser Taylor, which was acquired by The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) Archives and Collections when the collection came to GSA in 2014.
The exhibition bring togethers Taylor’s unique archive with newly commissioned work for the first time and it will explore, with his individual work and as part of 1980s collective The Cloth, recurring links to Glasgow as a place of creativity during the period from 1977 to 1987.
The project focuses on work Taylor developed as an undergraduate student at GSA, during the period 1977–81, exploring how this period influenced his work as part of design collective The Cloth up to 1987 and beyond.
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The title Instant Whip is sourced from the archive, borrowing the title of an independent magazine, published during the 1980s, focused on Scottish music, fashion and art.
Exhibiting the newly acquired collection of Taylor’s archive, held at GSA to public audiences, highlights Glasgow’s legacy as an important centre of creativity during the 1970s and 1980s.
The exhibition includes printed textiles, garments, drawing and painting, photography and personal ephemera. Alongside the display of objects, digital technologies are employed to present archival objects such as sketchbooks and photographs in fresh ways that can benefit from explorations into scale and animation.
Newly commissioned work for the exhibition responds and reflects upon the presented historic works. This new work is in textiles, focusing upon its relationship to drawing – working across screenprint, woven and digital methods.
A key part of the new work ia a film made in collaboration with Filmmaker Alex James-Aylin and MUA / stylist MV Brown, which is screened alongside physical works including garments featured in the film.
Fraser Taylor said: “In 2014 three unmarked boxes were delivered from my storage in London to my studio in Glasgow. Opening the boxes was astonishing and shocking. They contained work that I produced from 1977 to 1987. I thought this work had been lost during one of many moves from one studio to another.
“It was exhilarating to be confronted with the past and marked the start of a long period of reflection, resulting in grappling with the concept that this work could become the core of a future exhibition.
“Revisiting this archive allowed me to make connections between my earlier interests and where I am creatively today. At times this was an emotional rollercoaster but the rewards were stirring and led to many reconnections. 10 years later this imagined exhibition will become reality.”
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Instant Whip: The Textiles and Papers of Fraser Taylor 1977–87 Revisited is co-curated by Dr Helena Britt with Panel and presented in partnership with the GSA Archives and Collections, Reid Gallery at the GSA and Print Clan.
Lucy McEachan, Director, Panel, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be working with The Glasgow School of Art and Print Clan on this exciting new exhibition and events programme, which will open up Fraser Taylor’s unique archive of textiles and papers to a public audience for the first time.
“Exploring connections between textiles, art, music fashion, style and subcultural expression through the lens of Glasgow in the 1970s–80s, the exhibition will revisit the archive through an ambitious new body of work by Taylor, one of Scotland’s leading textile designers, inspiring new perspectives on this period in Scotland’s social and design heritage.”
Dr Helena Britt, Programme Leader for Textile Design at the GSA, said: “Collaborating with Fraser Taylor and Panel on Instant Whip is a unique and inspirational opportunity to work with partners, including the GSA Archives and Collections and GSA Exhibitions, building on research that I have carried out over the past 10 years.
“Through Taylor's work, the exhibition, publication, and event series present, often hidden, insights into textile designing and printing processes to new audiences. Interconnected narratives drawn from many late 1970s and 1980s archive items highlight the significance of Glasgow as a creative city, which impacted Taylor's time as a student and beyond. It is fascinating to research Taylor's archive and witness the impact that engaging with the past has and continues to have on his new work.”
To coincide with the opening of the exhibition, V&A Dundee has commissioned Taylor to design a new collection exclusively for V&A Dundee’s online and in-museum shop.
Instant Whip: The Textile and Papers of Fraser Taylor 1977–87 Revisited at the GSA Reid Gallery & Window on Heritage, runs from March 16 to April 20. Admission is free.
Viewing Across, a collection by Fraser Taylor for V&A Dundee, launches on March 15.
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