An exhibition celebrating the entries submitted for The Alexander Thomson Society’s Double Villa Competition.

In the bicentenary of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s birth, join Glasgow City Heritage Trust & The Alexander Thomson Society to ‘talk Thomson’ and decide: what is Thomson’s best building?

One of the Glasgow’s greatest architects, Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson is praised for his originality, use of modern technologies and his personal Graeco-Egyptian style. Following on from the heated debates of our Battle of the Architects series and in the bicentenary of his birth, join Glasgow City Heritage Trust & The Alexander Thomson Society to ‘talk Thomson’ and decide once and for all: which of Thomson’s iconic works is really top of the pile? Can our speakers make a convincing argument for their favourite Thomson masterpiece in this architectural face-off?

ATS members receive free entry to this event, contact info@alexanderthomsonsociety.co.uk to receive your unique password.

Things as they are/as they ought to be is an exhibition of works spanning sculpture, film and textiles by artists Olivia Jones and Alberta Whittle. Taking place inside the ruin of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s first church, the building’s context and style have acted as catalysts for conversations surrounding memory, history and appropriation between the curator and contributing artists. Experimenting with the tensions around dominant/collateral narratives and attributions, Jones and Whittle’s work seeks to explore such pressures and focus on historical interpretations or connotations that are often neglected.

ALBERTA POSTER OLIVIA POSTER

Patrick is an author and historic paint consultant with a wealth of experience in unpicking the lost decorative schemes of significant buildings across the UK, including Holmwood. His books, The Anatomy of Colour and Nature’s Palette have both been met with high praise and are exceptionally well illustrated. He joins the Society to discuss his career through introducing his process and showcasing a selection of the historic buildings he’s worked on.

Amin joins the Society to deliver his long-awaiting talk which was postponed at the start of the pandemic. He heads up the London-based practice Groupwork, which has won multiple RIBA awards and been nominated for the Stirling Prize. Amin is particularly interested in the potential of structural stone in modern construction, as well as experimenting with material and decoration. He will discuss the output of Groupwork and some of his ongoing projects and research.

Max is the curator of 19th century furniture at the V&A and author of books on Christopher Dresser and Daniel Cottier. He joins us to discuss his latest book, which focuses on Cottier’s work. Cottier and Thomson were closely connected, most notably collaborating on the design of Queen’s Park Church together.