Glasgow Worldwide, Scotland’s biennial competition of up to date artwork, introduced early final month that Helen Nisbet will function its subsequent director. The Shetland-born curator returns to Scotland from London, the place she served as inventive director of the Artwork Evening modern artwork competition and the chief govt of Cromwell Place gallery hub. She takes over from Richard Birkett, who stepped down in February, and Observer caught up along with her to listen to about her plans for the beloved biennial.
Congratulations on the brand new gig! Your official assertion had you “excited to work with, and study from, the competition workforce and to be amongst the attractive gentle, vitality, artists, communities (and even the rain) in Glasgow once more.” What makes the town of Glasgow distinctive, other than the rain?
This can be a arduous one to reply, so I requested ChatGPT. It mentioned that the individuals are heat, witty and ‘actual’, that the town boasts Victorian grandeur, brutalist relics (a lot of the props right here ought to go to the enduring structure observe Gillespie Kidd & Coia) and daring modern design. It talks about music and the legendary scene (Belle and Sebastian positively drew me to the town as a pupil, alongside the dearly departed Scottish Socialist Social gathering), the “industrial roots” and “inventive current”—the business and artistry, the inexperienced areas, the native language, satisfaction in variety, soccer obsession and defiant individuality. Sadly, it doesn’t point out Limmy.
Are there any previous editions of the Glasgow Worldwide which might be significantly inspirational to you?
I cherished the final competition, which passed off in 2024. I didn’t come for the opening and so spent a beautiful couple of days quietly seeing issues alone and with mates. I cried in Kinning Park at Alexis Kyle Mitchell’s movie The Treasury of Human Inheritance. I loved the vitality of 5 Florence Avenue, now residence to The Frequent Guild (whose good director Katrina Brown led Glasgow Worldwide for the 2010 and 2012 festivals) and a collection of studios and artistic companies, which housed work by artists Sandra George, Josie KO and Kialy Tihngang, Bobbi Cameron, Owain Practice McGilvery and Wei Zhang. I cherished Kim Bohie’s work at The Trendy Institute, and I had an exquisite second on the attractive, calm and sunny Radclyffe Corridor, the place I ran into a gaggle of wonderful folks and obtained to wash within the glory of Jamie Crewe’s exhibition Defixiones.
You’re changing Richard Birkett, who introduced what The Artwork Newspaper’s Louisa Buck known as “the strongest and punchiest editions lately.” How would you distinction your curatorial type together with his? Are you punchy?
Richard Birkett is unimaginable. I presently have the pleasure of spending extra time with him on this transition second and am indebted to him, his generosity and the intelligent, considerate work he’s carried out over the previous few years.
We dwell in an age of too many artwork festivals and biennials. How do you make the case that Glasgow is a essential cease on that circuit?
I don’t suppose there are too many biennials! And Glasgow is likely one of the finest cities on the planet. Freedom of creativeness, creativity, humour, political resistance and solidarity are central to its historical past and to the methods artists make work within the metropolis immediately. Glasgow has an addictive vitality, and Glasgow Worldwide is a really essential cease (or keep, in case you dwell there).
Your first version, the eleventh Glasgow Worldwide, is ready to happen subsequent 12 months. What’s your schedule like now? Are you feverishly touring artists’ studios?
I’m nonetheless within the technique of ending issues off in London and having studio visits and conferences down right here earlier than I do. I’m shifting again to Glasgow later in the summertime, and within the meantime, I’m very fortunate that the competition workforce is so nice. I’m actually wanting ahead to spending time with, reconnecting with and assembly with folks in Glasgow once more.
What do you suppose you’re going to be in search of in artist collaborators? What makes a Glasgow Worldwide artist?
Somebody who makes good work, no matter what stage of their profession they’re at.
The place is your favourite place to eat in Glasgow?
After I was a pupil, it was chips and cheese at Mr Chips on Sauchiehall Avenue (RIP). In my twenties, my mates and I had been obsessive about (and nonetheless are) Mom India’s Cafe and by no means deviated from a really particular order, which I can nonetheless reel off. Now it’s Gloriosa, however I’m additionally wanting ahead to discovering new locations I don’t learn about but—my good friend Nabihah Iqbal has been telling anybody who will pay attention concerning the pastries at Outlier, and I feel they’ve lately began doing dinners, too.
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