Installation of Argyll Collection works at Lochgilphead High School

In November, CHARTS Art Technician Sam Kilday delivered and installed six pieces to Lochgilphead Joint Campus. Hear about his experience installing the work throughout the Lochgilphead Joint Campus departments.

Pupils and staff at Lochgilphead High School now have new paintings, prints, and embroidery to admire on the walls of the Social Studies and Modern Languages department. Principal Teacher of Social Studies, Mr. Kemp, was keen to make use of the council-owned Argyll Collection in and around his department. Following a period of consultation with Argyll Collection: Reconnected Project Manager Ros McKenna, it was agreed that CHARTS would arrange to supply a series of specially selected works to the school for students outside of the art department to engage with.

In a collaborative, mid-morning meeting, teachers gathered to look at the new works and help guide where each piece should hang. Mrs Carbro was delighted to have C. Penn’s black and white Lino cut prints outside her classroom, as one of the prints echoes the language tree, which she discusses in relation to modern languages. 

Miss Mark teaches about the historical period in which Joan Eardley was making paintings around Glasgow tenements and is thrilled to have Little Girl with a  Piece hanging outside her class. In honour of the newly installed Eardley, Miss Mark delivered a lovely rendition of The Jeely Piece Song!

Mrs Kemp was a big fan of colour and chose to have Gail Fleming’s Très Jolie embroidery, Lochgilphead, next to the door of her modern languages class. This place-based work ties in with themes of "where I’m from" as part of her curriculum.

The final install of the day was Sir Robin Philipson’s Figure Crucified, which was the largest piece to be installed. Minutes after it was hung on the wall, it sparked numerous conversations among various groups of students, some of whom spoke of themes of religion, death, and abstraction. They even found ways to engage digitally by reverse image searching via their smartphones!

Sam Kilday