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Glasgow-based artist Nathan Coley has created a glowing public sculpture on the roof of the Dental Hospital and School on Sauchiehall Street.
The illuminated text-based work, which reads WE ARE THE MONUMENT, has been specially commissioned and spans 10 metres in length, featuring 16 LED-lit capital letters.
A graduate of Glasgow School of Art, Coley was shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize in 2007 and is known internationally for his thought-provoking public installations.
Speaking about the new Glasgow sculpture, he said: “WE ARE THE MONUMENT asks why and how we memorialise events, how public statues represent us (or not), who and what they are for, and what role they have in our public life.
“At a time in our culture when questions of representation and visibility are polarising communities, the work is, hopefully, inclusive, but also challenging.
“The work changes depending on the context and the audience who see it.
“Here, in its first display site – overlooking the city on the roof of a public building and beaming its light and message down on Sauchiehall Street – it can take on many forms.
“It’s speaking to the diverse and ever-evolving community that lives on the street and surrounding areas.
“It overlooks the burned-out shells of the Mackintosh Building and ABC, and the now-closed CCA – important cultural venues whose legacy may now only be in the memories of those who loved and used them.
“What, who, and how will the city decide to memorialise them in the future?
“With George Square being renovated and the city changing in exciting ways, this work aims to make us stop and think about what this means and what we want – because in the end, it’s the people of Glasgow that are the monument.”
The sculpture is one of three works by Coley acquired by Glasgow Life Museums for the city’s collection, with support from the Art Fund and the National Fund for Acquisitions.
Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, said: “We’re delighted to have acquired works by internationally acclaimed Glasgow artist Nathan Coley for the city’s museum collection.
“His innovative creations challenge us to engage in conversations about how we interact with our built heritage, the meaning of the public places we share and occupy, and how we acknowledge and memorialise our past and connect to embrace the future.
“Being able to install WE ARE THE MONUMENT on the roof of the Dental Hospital for the work’s first year of public display enables us to extend our reach in the city beyond our museums’ walls.
“Its location also supports the ambitions of the Sauchiehall Street Culture and Heritage District redevelopment project that aims to celebrate the history of this much-loved city centre area and take forward its renewal.”
The project was supported by the Art Fund, whose director Jenny Waldman, praised the impact of the illuminated message.
She said: “This striking public commission by Nathan Coley, overlooking one of Glasgow’s most historic streets, brings a new perspective to the city’s skyline and invites reflection from all who pass by.
“We’re delighted to support this significant work to enter Glasgow Life Museums’ collection, and we are grateful to our National Art Pass members, whose generosity makes acquisitions like this possible for everyone to enjoy.”
Lisa Dorrian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Oral Health Directorate general manager, said: “Glasgow Dental Hospital and School is a busy and much-loved part of the city centre, supporting patients and families from across Greater Glasgow and Clyde and beyond.
“We are delighted to see this artwork installed and to work in partnership with Glasgow Life to bring something positive, creative, and distinctive into the local area.”
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