Close

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Close

A close is a shared stairwell in the tenement buildings in Scotland, with usually 6 – 8 flats accessible within. It also implies nearness or proximity; good relationships between people, friendliness.

Through an open call for participation, CLOSE invited arts practitioners, community groups and individuals to negotiate and make sited work for their own shared closes and or backcourt, with or for their neighbours.

Two successful events, December 1-3 2006 and October 26 – November 1 2007, with participating closes across the city. We built support for the project across public and private sectors, educational and community organisations, as well as developed links with the Environmental Art Department, Glasgow School of Art, Fine Art and Broadcast and Media Departments, Glasgow Metropolitan College. We were selected to present at ‘Common Work’, conference on socially engaged art practice, Tramway, Glasgow, 2007.

As part of CLOSE 2007 I made Sound House. I invited my neighbours to give me a playlist of their favourite songs they would like played in the close on return home from work (Mon – Sat 5-7pm daily) Each flat had their playlist played on one day of the week on two pairs of monitor speakers installed in the spiral stairs of the close. In exchange, I selected one of the tracks from each playlist, recorded me singing it a cappella and added it into each day’s playlist.

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