7 January 2016
Evening Times
The new year is off to a scandalous start for the artist Ellie Harrison. Creative Scotland are funding her with £15,000 to live within the Greater Glasgow area for a year without leaving, except in the event of ill – health or death of a close friend or relative. The internet has gone into a meltdown over it, with many Glaswegian’s outraged at the fact Ellie is now being paid to live in the city that she’s inhabited since 2008 all in the name of art. Creative Scotland have defended their decision to fund Ellie in her project, the premise being that “if society wishes to achieve global change, then individuals have to be more active within their communities at a local level” All fine and well. However, at a time where one in three children are living in poverty in Glasgow, I can’t help but think this is a case of poor timing. The other bugbear is that the Facebook cover photo for the project is a plate of chips. Yes, art is subjective and often tongue in cheek but Glasgow is so much more than that. Our culture is brilliant and varied. Come on Ellie hen, surely a nice wee landscape of the city would have been better. You’ve lived here long enough to know that Glaswegian’s are fiercely patriotic – or is that the point? Like it or loathe it, we are all discussing it. I would hate to think taking a swipe at Glasgow is one big PR stunt. Anyway, it’s 2016, doesn’t she know we’re all clean eating and our bodies are temples? Now, pass the quinoa and let’s hug it out.