Raya Gray - Close of Play: Art Making for Earthly Survival

Close of Play: Art Making for Earthly Survival

Art Making for Earthly Survival was part of The Glasgow School of Art’s yearlong programme Close of Play: Climate Emergency and Creative Action, that explored the ways in which creative actions and multi-disciplinary practice can address the climate emergency, sustainability and climate justice. A series of workshops and resulting exhibition curated by Rachy McEwan, Raya Gray and Vita Lerche, aimed to help participants question their own ideas and practice by offering inspiration and future solutions to create art in a more ethical, environmental and sustainable way. Students and the public engaged in activities such as book-making; discussions of art practices in community settings; and a guided walk to identify trees and lichens. The workshops were led by Vita Lerche, Emma Lawrance, Raya Gray and Rachy McEwan, with the exhibition in the Reid Gallery displaying artwork produced throughout the series. Both were supported by GSA Sustainability, GSA Exhibitions and Box Hub.

Commingling, Production and Reproduction

Raya Gray and Rachy McEwan led a joint workshop that mediated between research and physical work making in the Botanic Gardens and the Reid Gallery at The Glasgow School of Art. New modes of knowledge production, collaboration and art making were explored. Participants were guided around the Botanics to identify trees and lichens in order to learn factual information about them, the relationship between different species, and to begin coalescing them into artworks both conceptually and materially. A range of mediums and techniques were experimented with, including: photography, painting, mouldmaking, casting, tree bark and lichens.

Curated at the Botanic Gardens and The Glasgow School of Art in 2022