From Glasgow Women’s Library’s inception artists and their work have been a source of inspiration and knowledge.
Formed through the agency of creatives envisioning change, GWL continues to work with groundbreaking artists, responding to our collections alongside the diverse communities that have collectively created our shared resource.
On the outside of the building, our flag honours legendary feminist artists as varied as Linder, Ingrid Pollard, Yoko Ono and Artemisia Gentilsci, and combines brilliantly with Rabiya Choudhry’s illuminated sign, ‘Give Light and People will find the way (Ella Baker)’, an artwork that celebrates and signals the generative overlap between art and activism which is so crucial to our work. Inside the building artists’ work is present on our exhibition walls; in our stores, which hold traces many collaborations, residencies and anniversary celebrations (not least the celebrated 21 Revolutions project); and in the design of our spaces and furnishings (from our cherished round table, painted in the early days of GWL by Gheni Yorke to our inspiring community room, remodelled to acknowledge feminist health activism by Olivia Plender).
In all its facets GWL models what libraries can be, reimagined by a remarkable and growing community of artists.
Connected Pages
Life Support: Olivia Plender
As part of the Life Support: Forms of Care in Art and Activism exhibiton, Olivia Plender did a long-lasting transformation of the GWL Community Room inspired by feminist and queer health activism to create a more comfortable space that will help nurture community, activism and resistance.
Rabiya Choudhry, ‘Give light and people will find the way (Ella Baker)’ (2022)
We are delighted to announce Rabiya Choudhry’s illuminated artwork ‘Give light and people will find the way (Ella Baker)’, commissioned by The Common Guild for ‘anywhere in the universe’ has been gifted to Glasgow Women’s Library by the artist and will remain in place here at the library as a permanent installation.
Linder's Bower of Bliss
The Bower of Bliss exhibition by Linder Sterling was commissioned in 2018 by the Glasgow Women’s Library and Glasgow International Festival.
Ingrid Pollard: No Cover Up
Ingrid Pollard uses different photographic processes alongside printmaking, artist books, installation, video and audio to shed new light on important subjects. Following a residency in 2019 this solo exhibition, No Cover Up, revealed her responses to the materials held in the Lesbian archive at GWL, giving voice to the archive, offering new insights on its content and reminding us that LGBTQ+ culture is alive and thriving and at the forefront of activism.
21 Revolutions
21 Revolutions germinated from a desire to promote and celebrate 20 years of Scotland’s sole women’s library archive and museum, showcase the best of women’s contemporary visual art and writing […]
HOUSE WORK CASTLE MILK WOMAN HOUSE
HOUSE WORK CASTLE MILK WOMAN HOUSE is a research and art project, by Glasgow Women’s Library and Kate Davis, which looks at the Castlemilk Womanhouse project which began in 1990, the year that Glasgow became European City of Culture.
Making Space
In 2010 GWL was funded to deliver an artist in residence programme Making Space to support the development of an engaged process for working ‘towards’ a future public artwork for Glasgow Women’s Library specifically, but with national/international significance in terms of process and focus.
Seeing Things
Seeing Things is designed to give women the opportunity to explore cultural events across Glasgow, such as (but not limited to!) art, music, theatre or comedy, together with friendly and like-minded women. Since the start of 2014, the group has visited art and performance events in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
