MY PLACE PHOTOGRAPHY

a presentation aboutScottish new towns and modernist architecturefeaturing images by Sylvia Grace Borda

For curriculum level third, fourth/seniorExpressive Arts

This presentation includes

an introduction to Scottish modernism and new towns

images from the series A Holiday in Glenrothes by Sylvia Grace Borda, accompanying quotes and information

images from the series EK Modernism by Sylvia Grace Borda, accompanying quotes and information

suggestions for further research including a range of photographers and architects

activity ideas

links to relevant My Place learning resources

Sylvia Grace Borda is a Canadian artist who has created a number of photographic projects in Scotland focusing on the built environment. Her work has been exhibited and published internationally in Canada, USA, UK and Italy.

In 2008, Sylvia decided to holiday for a week in Scotland's former New Town of Glenrothes.

She has also created a publication called EK Modernism exploring the architecture of East Kilbride, another new town in Scotland.

First a little background to Scottish Modernism & urban planning

What is a New Town?New Town refers to planned cities in the UK that were built post World War II (New Towns Act of 1946)Scotland built five New Towns over a thirty year period (1940-70)First New Town in the UK is on the outskirts of Glasgow. It is called East Kilbride In the design of Scottish New Towns, architects and planners applied Modernist ideals - not just to the physical plans, but these plans gave equal treatment to education and the central placement of individual and community within the scheme The current dilemmaNew Town architecture is only a half century old in ScotlandA number of key Modernist buildings are now slated for redevelopment or demolitionNearly 80% of New Town public institutions (e.g. schools and recreation centres) are being redeveloped for private housing, commercial, and industrial re-use

St Brides Church in East Kilbride designed by Scottish architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia EK ModernismSylvia Grace Borda

St Brides Church in East Kilbride designed by Scottish architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia EK ModernismSylvia Grace BordaThis image was created by Sylvia Grace Borda for her project EK Modernism. It features St Brides church in East Kilbride designed by Scottish architects Gilliespie Kidd & Coia.Do you notice anything about St Brides Church that makes it a little different from many other church buildings in Scotland? Can you name all 5 of Scotlands new towns?

Use the internet to research the Scottish architects Gilliespie Kidd & Coia and name and locate up to three buildings they designed in Scotland.

This link will take you to a range of interesting films about their work. The last film on the page is a 2 minute Clip from Slide-In and features architects Andy Macmillan and Isi Metzstein discussing modern architecture in Scotland.

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace BordaUse the internet to research one or two of these photographers. Download the My Place visual literacy resource and take part in the activities to understand more about reading photographs.

Glenrothes was designed as a Modernist enterprise. During the 1960s new residences and businesses were built in park-like settings throughout the town. Sylvia embarked on a photographic exploration of Glenrothes as if she were a late-1960s North American photographer, such as William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Lewis Baltz or Robert Adams. These photographers pictured banal everyday scenes, the changing landscapes of America and commonplace features of towns, cities and urban landscapes.

William Egglestons GuideWilliam Eggleston

Colorado Springs, Colorado 1968Robert Adams

PostcardCan you design a photographic postcard featuring an everyday feature of your village, town or city?

Experiment with photography to make the ordinary extraordinary!

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace BordaWhile exploring Glenrothes, Sylvia made this photograph featuring this small touring caravan. This photograph became the trigger image for A Holiday in Glenrothes and underpinned the project concept of exploring the new town of Glenrothes as a visitor.

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace Borda

A Holiday in GlenrothesSylvia Grace BordaChoose one image from Sylvia Grace Bordas series A Holiday in Glenrothes and use the My Place visual literacy resource to understand more about reading photographs.

Download the My Place resource Take a Holiday in Your Own Back Yard and take part in the composition activity developed by Sylvia Grace Borda.

Gilliespie, Kidd & Coia were a Scottish architectural film known for their use of modernism in church and university buildings. They are best known for their work in the post-war period. The firm was wound up in 1987.In 2007, Gilliespie, Kidd & Coia were the subject of the major retrospective exhibition at The Lighthouse in Glasgow.http://gillespiekiddandcoia.co.uk/

For full list of architecture workshttp://gillespiekiddandcoia.co.uk/major.html

Three examples of Gilliespie, Kidd & Coia buildings:Sacred Heart Church, CumbernauldSt Peters Seminary, CardrossSt Benedict's, Drumchapel, Glasgow

The following series of slides contain comments and quotes from Sylvia Grace Borda and can provide the basis for discussions about architecture, photography and representation. There are also a range of grey boxes containing activity ideas and links to My Place learning resources.

IntroductionWhile exploring Glenrothes, Sylvia made this photograph featuring this small touring caravan. This image became the trigger image for A Holiday in Glenrothes and underpinned the project concept of exploring the new town of Glenrothes as a visitor.

Glenrothes was designed as a Modernist enterprise. During the 1960s new residences and businesses were built in park-like settings throughout the town. The town flourished at the same time as the emergence of colour photography and a number of important bodies of photographic work representing the commonplace, banal and urban landscape. Sylvia embarked on a photographic exploration of Glenrothes as if she were a late-1960s photographer, such as William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Lewis Baltz or Robert Adams. Many of these images contradict how some Scots would 'see' Glenrothes, and reinforce the observation that it often takes a visitor to see what others take for granted. Just as in real time it is too easy to rush by the every day this work positions itself so the every day environment can cause the viewer pause and to regard the commonplace as extraordinary.

The following series of slides contain comments and quotes from Sylvia Grace Borda and can provide the basis for discussions about architecture, photography and representation. There are also a range of grey boxes containing activity ideas and links to My Place learning resources.

IntroductionWhile exploring Glenrothes, Sylvia made this photograph featuring this small touring caravan. This image became the trigger image for A Holiday in Glenrothes and underpinned the project concept of exploring the new town of Glenrothes as a visitor.

Glenrothes was designed as a Modernist enterprise. During the 1960s new residences and businesses were built in park-like settings throughout the town. The town flourished at the same time as the emergence of colour photography and a number of important bodies of photographic work representing the commonplace, banal and urban landscape. Sylvia embarked on a photographic exploration of Glenrothes as if she were a late-1960s photographer, such as William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Lewis Baltz or Robert Adams. Many of these images contradict how some Scots would 'see' Glenrothes, and reinforce the observation that it often takes a visitor to see what others take for granted. Just as in real time it is too easy to rush by the every day this work positions itself so the every day environment can cause the viewer pause and to regard the commonplace as extraordinary.

Take a look at the wall mural of the football stand. Is this mural trying to impose a social ideal? It looks like a mini football stadium in this very small recreational park.This work continues the tradition of Stephen Shores work. Shore is an American landscape photographer whose work pictures the changing landscape of the USA. Shore was included in the exhibition "New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape in 1975. New Topographics was a hugely important exhibition and became a movement in art and photography in the US. The influence of this style of photography can still be seen today.This photograph explore ideas relating to scale and emptiness. How do you think the image would change if there were people in it?

Referring to Stephen Shore again. Greens! Who has a green car! A shadow from green over a green car! Sylvia Grace BordaDavid Harding was Glenrothess first town artist. In fact, he was the very first town artist in Scotland.

David Harding is an artist based in Glasgow and was the founding Head of the Environmental Art course at Glasgow School of Art.

For more information about his time as the town artist for Glenrothes visit http://www.davidharding.net/?page_id=37

More green! Windows of green.. Tropical green in the Scottish landscape.Sylvia Grace Borda

When Sylvia made this photograph Scotland was experiencing an actual heatwave of temperatures of up to 32 degrees C.There is a certain oddness to this tree. The civic landscaping incorporating this ongoing growing treebush! A lovely but different tone of green as compared to the lawn.Sylvia Grace Borda

I was thinking a lot about composition here. Its like pleasantville - everything just ..so. Its like white picket fences in America what is the Scottish equivalent?Sylvia Grace Borda

Which part of the image draws your eye to it?

The woman in the scene is mowing the hedge perfectly. I think there is something infectious in Glenrothes - people are very concerned about their yard or garden rather than their home or building. The idea of a garden city has really taken off here and it is illustrated in life.Sylvia Grace Borda

Again thinking about composition - the diagonals. It is very American to shoot perpendicular or straight on- and there is a lushness to the environment. The building is a gray colour with a weathered red roof. All about contrast and again it is also about scale. The environment is almost subsuming the building.Sylvia Grace Borda

This parking lot just comes to an end - almost like a fairytale of endless green. The light was very warm and yellow - something to do with the heatwave as that light is rare here in Scotland.Sylvia Grace Borda

The earth was scorched in this image it was so hot that it affected the light and the way that light is reflected and thus influencing the image in the camera. The colours are so brilliant; the sky is brilliant blue!Sylvia Grace Borda

Foreground, middleground and background. Composition and curiosity!Sylvia Grace Borda

On the road more green! This time road reflectors! Again the perpendicular viewpoint a classic reference to the American photographic tradition.Sylvia Grace Borda

Glenrothes, the garden city - a whole system of paths for cyclists. Plus an industrial edge with the background.Sylvia Grace Borda