Details

Object type

banner

Title

Keeping Glasgow In Stitches: May - Paint the Town Red

Artist/Maker

Andrew Hay maker

Place Associated

Scotland, Glasgow, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (place of manufacture)

Date

1990

Dimensions

overall: 4575 mm x 1370 mm

Description

Banner 'May - Paint the Town Red', the fifth of twelve Keeping Glasgow In Stitches banners (E.1991.65.1-12). Predominantly in red with George Wylie's Paper Boat sculpture and silhouette of the Finnieston Crane at the top above the initial ‘G’ in front of which on the left are grey figures representing the unfurling of the Red Flag in George Square in 1917, on the right the folding away of the banner of the Upper Clyde Shipyards and in the centre below four people unfurling the 1990 May Day banner. At the bottom are twelve squares enclosing photographs and a locomotive with tender.

This banner from the ‘Keeping Glasgow in Stitches’ exhibition was made in celebration of Glasgow’s year as European City of Culture in 1990. It is one of 12 that were made for each month of the year by members of the public in the Central Hall of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

It is the fifth in the series, representing the month of May. The outline design for the banners was created by Malcolm Lochhead and more detailed design allocated to individual designers. This particular banner was designed by Andrew Hay. 1990 was the 100th anniversary of the May Day and the panel, called ‘Paint the Town Red’ shows three moments in Glasgow's political life - the unfurling of the Red Flag in George Square in 1917, the folding away of the banner of the Upper Clyde Shipyards and the unfurling of the 1990 May Day banner designed, as a poster, by Central Designs. The industrial past and present are represented at the top by the Finnieston Crane and George Wylie's Paper Boat sculpture. The quotation is by Norman Buchan, Glasgow MP and former Shadow Spokesman for the Arts who sadly died during 1990, and to whom the panel is dedicated.

All of the banners were produced by the Glasgow-based community sewing business ‘NeedleWorks’ and sponsored by a local business, in this case various trade unions.

ID Number

E.1991.65.5

Location

In storage