XERRADA SOBRE L'ART I L'ARQUITECTURA A ESCÒCIA

El professor escocès Alex McCartney va fer una xerrada a 2n de Batxillerat A sobre l'art i l'arquitectura a Escòcia, especialment a Glasgow. Aquí publiquem un article de l'alumne Harry Sagel sobre aquesta conferència.

Alex’s talk on Scotland and Glasgow

We were going to listen to a native Scotsman, Alex, talking about his country’s traditions and culture. Instead, however, we quickly realized we were going to hear about his home city: Glasgow. His serious and confident stance captured the class’ attention which lasted during the hour long presentation.

After a short introduction on Scotland, where the emphasis was made on how different it is to England, we were introduced to the typical Scottish whisky and ancient clans with their distinctive kilts. Many more inventions were made by Scotsmen over centuries; they weren’t just warriors and drunks. They claim the mathematic logarithm, the light bulb, penicillin, the telephone and even curling -that well known sport- were local inventions.

The speech took an abrupt turn and we moved on to hear about architecture in Scotland and the proclaimed famous architect Robert Adam. Glasgow’s architecture is characteristic because of the great amount of statues that are scattered around the city. The oldest one dates from 1641 and since then the city’s history is narrated through these figures.

Old seems to be Glasgow’s theme, the first building was risen more than five hundred years before, in the early 12^th century and, the first house, designed by the architect Alexander Thomson who was strongly influenced by the classical Greek movement. The most influencing architect however didn’t start modifying Glasgow’s appearance with his modernist and art nouveau style until the final decade of the 19^th century. The houses he built are considered a symbol for the city and have given it character throughout the years, now used for various scholastic institutions such as the School of Art.

To conclude, before offering to answer any questions the class had, he received a round of applause which, as considered by most, was not the typical clap because the boring and unentertaining talk is over, but because it was well deserved.


Harry Sagel