Members of the public are invited to visit Robert Gordon University’s riverside campus at Garthdee this autumn to discover ‘A House in the Woods’.
‘A House in the Woods’, is a colourful gothic sculpture created by the renowned Glasgow-based artist, designer, and craftsman, James Rigler, that was originally installed in Marischal College’s quad as part of the Look Again festival in 2018.
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Inspired by the gothic architecture of Marischal College and English poet Sir John Betjeman’s description of the college as a ‘forest of pinnacles’, James Rigler created a sculpture resembling the gingerbread witches’ houses found in gothic fairytales, or the ‘Carpenter Gothic’ buildings of iconic American films such as The Wizard of Oz and Psycho.
The installation of ‘A House in the Woods’ supports RGU’s ambition to create a ‘vibrant campus’, that welcomes communities within and out with the university, and is also supportive of the university’s commitment to strengthen arts and culture across the North East of Scotland.
James Rigler said: “It’s fantastic to see Aberdeen embracing the potential of its creative industries. The North East of Scotland has so much to offer, including its vibrant arts and culture scene supported by arts organisations such as Culture Aberdeen, Gray’s School of Art and Look Again. Coming from Glasgow, I know the power that creative people have to reimagine and reinvigorate our cities; I’m excited to see this process underway here in Aberdeen.’
“I think all public spaces would benefit from more public art. Art helps us to see the world differently. Sometimes this might be in a challenging, confrontational way; sometimes it’s a more subtle process. Many of our public spaces have had their sculptural elements in place since the 19th Century, but I think we would introduce very different artists and artworks to these spaces nowadays. I’m so pleased that members of the public can now come and see ‘A House in the Woods’ on RGU’s Garthdee campus.
“When I was asked to make a response to the space in Marischal College, I wondered what the huge courtyard in this ‘forest of pinnacles’ could be. I began to see it as a clearing in the woods, or perhaps even a vast American prairie. The Gothic style is a thread that links all these places. I hope my vibrant gothic pavilion is hopefully both familiar and unexpected, just like the fairytales and films that inspired it.”
Sally Reaper, Director at Look Again at Gray’s School of Art, said: “We are thrilled to bring James’ sculptural installation – “A House in the Woods” to the RGU campus, following its initial outing as a temporary installation in Marischal Quad. This represents a significant milestone for us, as it shows how our public art projects can continue to thrive beyond our pop-up festivals.
“The University is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive environment that supports arts and culture, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to RGU to experience this eye-popping piece of public art nestled in the landscape.”
Learn more about other projects: lookagainaberdeen.co.uk
