Issue 97 / March 2019

Charles Rennie Mackintosh
EXHIBITION
Charles Rennie
Mackintosh: Making The
Glasgow Style
Walker Art Gallery
15/03-26/08
Rediscover the life and work of an architectural genius,
designer and artist CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH
(1868–1928) alongside the work of his closest friends and
contemporaries in this must-see exhibition. Featuring more
than 250 objects, ranging from furniture and embroidery to stained
glass, metalwork and architectural drawings, the exhibition explores
the movement that became known as The Glasgow Style – the only Art
Nouveau movement in the UK.
The Glasgow Style grew out of the technical studios of the Glasgow
School of Art and a group of brilliant young designers, including the
work of ‘The Four’ – Mackintosh and James Herbert McNair, who
worked together at an architects’ practice, and the sisters Frances and
Margaret Macdonald. A number of Mackintosh’s famous works still
stand in Glasgow today, including the Glasgow Herald building (‘The
Lighthouse’) and the Scotland Street school. Mackintosh also competed
in a design competition for Liverpool Cathedral in 1903, but failed to
gain a place on the shortlist (losing out to Giles Gilbert Scott).
The Four’s close relationship developed into romance for McNair
and Frances, who married in 1899, and for Mackintosh and Margaret,
who married in 1900. The Mackintoshes often worked together
harmoniously on different projects, inspiring and supporting one
another. Work by all four artists features in the exhibition.
The exhibition also showcases panelling, furniture and light
fittings from many of the artistic tearooms designed by Mackintosh
for Glasgow businesswoman Miss Catherine Cranston. This includes a
section from the Chinese Room of the Ingram Street Tearooms, which
has not previously been displayed outside of Scotland.
Emergency Tiara
FESTIVAL
Threshold
Baltic Triangle – 29/03-30/03
Threshold Festival Of Music And Arts returns to the Baltic
Triangle with a full line-up after a more pared-back event in
2018. The festival’s expansive line-up continues to showcase
emerging and grassroots talent mixed in with some heavyhitting
national artists, all of whom will perform in venues across the
Baltic Triangle on 29th and 30th March.
Award-winning producer, singer-songwriter, World Loop Station
Champion and record-breaking beatboxer, SK SHLOMO, headlines the
festival as part of his debut album release tour. The electric blend of
innovative lyrics, live-looping and epic synths that feature on Shlomo’s
debut album Surrender evokes James Blake, Radiohead and Caribou
with a polyrhythmic Arabic twist. “I’m so psyched to be headlining at
Threshold Festival,” said SK. “I love Liverpool, love the people, it’s such a
true home of British music and I can’t wait to show the crowds up there
what I’ve been cooking up with my new album.”
Maverick visual arts collective GANG OF FIVE will bring their
illustrious illustrative flavours to the Baltic, demonstrating grassroots,
collaborative activism through art. New York- based, Japanese surf-pop
princess EMERGENCY TIARA will also be gracing the Threshold stage
once more, having keyed the event into an extensive tour of the UK
and Europe. Liverpool artist DANNY O’CONNOR also returns to the bill
following his graffiti work at last year’s Across The Threshold event.
It wouldn’t be Threshold without a PADDY STEER performance,
and this year the Zelig-like character is again in attendance, bringing
his retina-searing live show to the Baltic. The local contingent includes
SEAFOAM GREEN, KATIE MAC and MERSEY WYLIE, along with dozens
of other acts. There’s tonnes more alongside all this, so if you’ve got the
taste for Threshold, head to thresholdfestival.co.uk to gorge on all the
details.
PREVIEWS 35