Zizzi, Royal Exchange First Round Ideas

Of the themes suggested for the project the ones which appealled the most  were that of GoMA and the Telephone exchange - the second making me think of speech, dialect and the Glasgow Patter.  This resulted in some initial ideas for ' Your Patter's like Water'; The course of the River Clyde and tributaries are plotted by phrases and words peculiar to the City.  These might refer literally to eating and drinking ( 'snashter', 'swally',' get it doon yer thrapple')  or they might be a more metaphorical form of rhyming slang or patter ( ' he's totally gas-cookered' [snookered], ' a face like a burst tomato!')

A site-visit confirmed that the current building was previously Borders' bookshop. Having traded on the site for almost 20 years, the bookshop was synonymous with the building and much-loved by locals. Recognising the obvious relation to dialect, patter and writing I pursued this as a new theme.  I investigated Glasgow-associated novelists, poets, playwrights and seminal books; particularly looking for those with interesting titles and book-jackets ( and would also tie in with the green, grey, maroon and yellow palette).

 I would want to reproduce these in a trompe l'oiel but simplified, hand-drawn style retaining pencil/pen marks. The pillars and wrought-iron-work in and around GoMA and the Royal Exchange- and the iconic, perpetually-cone-headed statue of the Duke of Wellington- also feature. 

These ideas together could be adapted for various walls in the site.  The book jackets would work well inside the provided picture frames and the Clyde-Patter would draw the eye round any space.  This said Art wall 5 on 1st floor  would be my preference: