Doors opened today again in Gallery 2 for the latest rotation of collection works in Taste which includes the fantastic new acquisition of May 1st and Fingernails on a blackboard, Bella by Sharon Hayes. Both these works were generously supported by a grant from Art Fund and is the first time they are on display in GoMA since they were purchased from Tanya Leighton Gallery last year. These works have been joined by two works on paper by Ian Hamilton Finlay and Lawrence Weiner, both gifts to the collection in recent years.

Each of these 3 artists uses text within their work to explore the power of written or verbal communication. Sharon Hayes produces work that investigates intersections between history, politics and speech. She often appropriates historical material to create new work which focuses on a current political moment – a period in time that is both connected to the past and reaching towards a future. Ian Hamilton Finlay’s work connects historical events and literature with a visual language that comments on politics and society. Lawrence Weiner places abstract texts in public sites that people come across by chance, disrupting their everyday route.

Sharon Hayes, Born 1970 Baltimore, USA. Working across film, photography, performance, sound and text, Sharon Hayes discusses themes of love, queer theory, activism and gender politics. Her work often incorporates text from political speeches or protests, audio recordings, songs and letters – many of which have been drawn from the artist’s own experience.

Ian Hamilton Finlay, Born 1925 Nassau, Bahamas,Died 2006 Edinburgh, Scotland. Ian Hamilton Finlay was one of Scotland’s most distinguished artists – a poet, philosopher and publisher. He set up Wild Hawthorn Press in 1961 with Jessie McGuffie to publish international poetry. In 1967 Wild Hawthorn Press began to exclusively publish his work, often in collaboration with other artists such as painters, typographers and calligraphers. 

Lawrence Weiner, Born 1942 New York, USA. Lawrence Weiner was a central figure in the formation of the groundbreaking Conceptual Art movement in the 1960s, experimenting with the notion that an idea, rather than material, can be used to make art. In this way language becomes the subject of his works that appear on walls and windows of galleries, as well as public spaces.

Taste displays work from Glasgow Museums’ collection and explores how artworks are commissioned, exhibitions are organised and how we make decisions about what art to buy. This exhibition places works together to create a snapshot of Glasgow’s collections, with some never-before-seen archive material expanding on GoMA’s rich history.

Artists: Aaron Angell, Henry Cartier-Bresson, Beryl Cook, Fischli/Weiss, Sarah Forrest, Andy Goldsworthy, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Sharon Hayes, David Hockney, Eduardo Paolozzi, David Shrigley, Stanley Spencer, Andy Warhol and Lawrence Weiner