Nicola Atkinson Davidson in Paisley Museum
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HANGING BY A THREAD/An einem Faden hängen, 2006 -
7
Change of use/Gebrauchswandel
Change of mind/Gesinnungswandel
Change of identity/Identitätswandel
Change of industry/ Industriewandel
Change of place/OrtswechselPaisley twinned with the town of Fürth
in Southern Germany in 1969. Glasgow twinned with Nürnberg
in 1985. It has been said that Glasgow is to Paisley as Nürnberg
is to Fürth, in that they have similarly ambiguous relationships
based on their city/town rivalries. Each of these places has a strong
identity as a result of their individual histories and all of them
are currently undergoing a period of
redefinition.
After a visit to Germany and further consideration of the two Scottish
sites, I began the process of identifying something that would provide
a link between the individual places. Initially I thought of my
role as reflecting the essence of that place, to enable the inhabitants
to gain a more objective view of where they live. It seemed to me
that the two cities are now trying to project very strong cultural
identities in the 21st century, as a result of the process of re-invention
made necessary after events that occurred in the first half of the
20th century. In Glasgow’s case the declining heavy industries
produced circumstances that gave the city a reputation for poverty
and violence, whereas Nürnberg seems inextricably linked to
particular word such as “rallies”, “laws”
or “trials” and its reputation in the middle ages as
a “Reichsstadt” influenced the development of some of
the ideas behind the Third Reich. With regards to the towns, both
Paisley and Fürth have rich histories but they have lost their
old, established industries causing the population to dwindle and
in many ways are overshadowed by their larger neighbours. Their
identities are in danger of disappearing at the present time and
they are both seeking a new role within their country. They are
now unsure of the nature of their own personality it seems and,
much like individual people, sometimes in trying to become someone
or something else, the ghosts of the past re-assert themselves.
Looking into Paisley’s past I was initially fascinated and
then inspired by the company, Brown and Polson, which was established
in Paisley, in 1842. It produced starch paste, developed for stiffening
the warp threads for the town’s looms. They went on to re-market
and sell this product as “Patent Corn Flour” calling
it “Paisley Flour” for making the “perfect Shortbread”.
This is a remarkable change of use. How tasty had the weavers’
fingers become? Similarly, Fürth and Nürnberg have had
outstanding reputations for manufacturing since the Renaissance.
Nürnberg produced, amongst other things, pocket watches and
Fürth was known for its mirrors. Fürth did have a price
to pay for this, detailed in 1861 by Adolf Küssmaul. As Professor
of Medicine in Erlangen he noted that industrial mercury poisoning
amongst people involved in mirror production was so bad, that many
adult males had lost a lot, and in some cases all, of their teeth.
I arrived at a point that encompassed lost teeth and grinding poverty,
which ranged from extremism to tasty fingers. Each place has clearly
paid a price for its industrial development. The concept behind
Hanging by a Thread evolved during the time I spent this summer
in Nürnberg, as part of the International Artist’s exchange
in the Schloss (Castle) Almoshof. I became aware of the active recycling
that take place in Germany, prompting me to incorporate that aspect
into the creation of the “Fun House”, using not only
mirrors borrowed from the public but also material that is recycled
by the people of Paisley. I felt that this would allow the viewer
to not only contemplate their image, but also what they are consuming
everyday. The nightmare question that poses itself is what if we
had to hold on everything, never throwing anything away?
As part of Hanging by a Thread, Hanna Tuulikki is creating three
sound works to be experienced within the “fun house”.
The sounds of skipping and hand clapping, traditionally used in
children games, will form the basis for the next two sound works
and will be built upon using carefully chosen songs collected from
children in Scotland & Germany. Hanna’s work will contribute
to the sense of looking at oneself , the innocent sounds of childhood
joy and disappointment bringing to the viewer the reason for the
need to take both individual and collective responsibility of their
environment and the future of their town.
Nicola Atkinson.Davidson
NADFLY
