Ward 17, Phase 1, Now We Can Make an Army of Mother Glasgows
This is a form of cultural recuperation, allowing people in Springburn to revisit these sidelined sandstone figures from a different perspective. The sculptures gazed down on us for over 100 years.... It’s our turn to care for their future, and consider what they symbolised.
As part of Glasgow Life’s Creative Communities Artists in Residence programme in Ward 17, Springburn, Springburn Winter Gardens Trust and lead artist Mandy McIntosh presented Now We Can Make an Army of Mother Glasgows, a powerful artistic reclamation of local history through digital sculpture.
In 2012, the much-loved Springburn Public Halls were demolished, despite their historic sandstone statues, fronted by the iconic ‘Mother Glasgow’. Thanks to a last-minute intervention, these figures were salvaged for the community.
During her residency, McIntosh employed a technique called photogrammetry to re-envision the statues. By feeding hundreds of photographs of the salvaged sandstone women into specialised software, she generated digital models that were then transformed into foam sculptures.
Believing in art as a democratic route to understanding history and skills, Mandy engaged local people of all ages, from adult learners to school pupils. The project culminated in a striking exhibition at Springburn Shopping Centre’s Community Hub, placing art at the heart of the community’s future.
A special thanks to community partners, supporters and contributors: Springburn Winter Gardens Trust | Helen Carroll | Elmvale Primary School | Springburn Women’s Group | Your Space | Tron St Mary’s Women’s Group | NG Homes | Glasgow School of Art Sim Vis department | Contributing artists: Calum Stirling, John McDougall and Michael Marriot.
