If 500 women across Scotland have one blue-spined book by a woman author, what would this new collection look like? What kind of artefacts should be kept in a women???s archive? Who decides, and what might be missing?

These questions and more form part of new works created by artists Nicky Bird and Shauna McMullan as part of the Making Space project at Glasgow Women???s Library (GWL). Inspired by GWL???s planned move to the prestigious Mitchell Library, and supported by funding from the Scottish Arts Council???s Public Art Fund, the artists and Project Coordinator Fiona Dean have worked with GWL staff, volunteers, library users and learners to research the possibilities of a new public artwork for Glasgow.

Shauna McMullan???s Blue Spine collection – a single, long, blue line of over 500 borrowed books – builds on the library???s existing collection (built upon 20 years of donations of books and artefacts). The work uses the library???s networks as a base from which to reach out and connect to as many women???s lives as possible, revealing why and what they read.

Nicky Bird???s Unsorted Donations explores how women’s lives have made their ways into the library and archive and investigates new ways of experiencing the artefacts, also alluding to the archivist???s processes and dilemmas.

The project has directly involved a diverse group of women in its processes. A new Making Space group was formed, drawn from women across the many different areas of the Library???s life and beyond. It includes women developing their English language skills, Adult Literacy learners, volunteers, archivists and women involved in GWL???s Black and Minority Ethnic programme.

The culmination of an exciting creative development phase, both artists??? works was on exhibition in Glasgow on June 19th, with an additional event on June 26th. As well as these exhibitions, a Public Discussion Event about the ideas and issues that surround the Making Space project is planned for later this year. The learning from the project will also inform the direction for a proposed new public artwork for Glasgow Women???s Library, with further funding sought to make this ambitious project a reality.

Shauna McMullan’s Blue Spine collection was at the Jeffery Room of the Mitchell Library, June 19th.

Nicky Bird???s Unsorted Donations is at Glasgow Women???s Library on June 26th from 11-4pm and at further dates throughout the summer. Booking essential.

Both Nicky and Shauna discussed their work with PAR+RS Editor Ruth Barker recently – look out for the upcoming article.

http://makingspace.womenslibrary.org.uk