GoMA is housed in Glasgow’s former Royal Exchange, once the economic heart of merchant trade. Previously, the private mansion of a tobacco and sugar merchant was built on profits from slavery and, later became a public library. Considering this complex history and the 25th anniversary of the museum in 2021, James Rigler was invited to work on a new commission for the Jackson Tang Ceramics Award rather than add an existing work to the collection. Rigler has a renowned international profile for his bold, architecturally-inspired ceramics. Based in Glasgow, he has established a research-led practice that uses a site-responsive approach to develop monumental installations, with a particular emphasis on the ongoing influence of historical, architectural and decorative styles.
The commission responds to the decoration of the GoMA building and encourages a renewed interrogation of its history. Taking the form of a new frieze for the interior of the Royal Exchange, it is formed of two elements: a plain shelf structure, carefully tailored to the simple circulation space of the 1996 redevelopment, which in turn supports an informally-arranged collection of metal-leafed ceramic forms. The title, Old Money, refers both to the history of the building and the entrenched privilege it represents. It also reminds us that the meaning and value of coins are, like architectural styles, socially constructed and can evaporate with changing times.
The support and profile of this award to acquire a striking new site-specific work by Rigler presents the perfect opportunity to demonstrate, nationally and internationally, what GoMA has achieved with a civic collection over the last 25 years in a city renowned for its artists.
