Exhibition Text | Gymnasia
Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art 2014
GYMNASIA was a multi-disciplinary artwork produced by the artist’s collective OPERA AUTONOMA, directed by Craig Mulholland, with Michelle Hannah, Andrew Houston, Claudia Nova and Carmel O’Brien. Inspired by the non-hierarchical alignment between physical exercise and scholarly activity found in the ancient Greek institution of Gymnasia, it functioned both as a live performance event and static multi-media installation. Taking place at Fleming House, the project endeavoured to act as an autonomous territory or arena for the alliance of sporting and artistic activity, functioning in the model of a peripatetic classroom, laboratory or theatre. Through this lens the project specifically seeks to examine themes of endurance, practice and performance between sporting and artistic disciplines. Commissioned by Glasgow International and supported by Outset Scotland and The Glasgow School Of Art.