April 26 - September 1

I Once Went Down to the Sea Again is an exhibition of George Wyllie’s Spires, amongst the most considered and well-developed bodies of work produced during his career. I Once Went Down to the Sea Again is curated by Wyllieum director Will Cooper, and leading Glasgow based sculptor Sara Barker.

First appearing in Wyllie’s ground-breaking live work, A Day Down A Goldmine (1982), these simple sculptural forms are the culmination of his development as an artist of merit. Drawing on his experiences on the Clyde (see their similarities to the poking masts of ships) and finessed through his friendships with artists George Rickey and Joseph Beuys, Wyllie’s Spires mark a transformative moment in his practice where a material language and a clear conceptual rigour successfully meet. 

Their simple form – a three-legged base with a vertical pole, held in balance by a rock or stone – can be seen as the culmination of a lifetime’s practice, and draw inspiration from Wyllie’s full and varied life. 

The teepee (similarly constructed from three simple, vertical poles) popularised by North American First People was well known to Wyllie, and its form began to appear in his work while staying with George Rickey in his Massachusetts studio Hand Hollow. The strong vertical form and gimble used to create balance are borrowed from Wyllie’s deep love of all things maritime.  Their ability to sway and move in the wind creates a simple rhythm reminiscent of a flag, sail, or ship’s mast.  

Over time, Wyllie’s Spires became akin to monuments. Simple works used to mark a specific time or place. However, unlike the traditional sculpted monument depicting a political hero or person of military significance, Wyllie’s Spires were designed to celebrate “wherever they stood”. This simple, rebellious act dismantled the need to find heroes in our public life, instead allowing the user of these works to memorialise whatever we each value. 

In this light, Wyllie produced Spires to celebrate his wife Daphne, to mark his good friend Beuys’ favourite place in Scotland (Rannoch Moor), or to embellish his garden studio (Studio Spire). The two portable spires included in this exhibition lived in the back of Wyllie’s car, ensuring they were never far from his grasp should something need memorialising. In his own words: 

The Spire is designed to celebrate the place on which it stands. Beyond that, its importance is of no importance.

It can define any space or presence taken for granted and signify them important.

For Wyllie, the Spire was a vital artwork. They allow Wyllie to celebrate the everyday, mundane and happenstance. They remove pomp and ceremony, instead opting to focus our attention on our everyday interactions with places, people, and events. 

What better way to celebrate the opening of the Wyllieum than with a similar celebration of our beautifully normal lives.

📸 Sean Campbell