The fight against authoritarianism, fascism, misogyny, racism and simple old-fashioned Philistinism can sometimes be effectively advanced through instruments like satire, literature and music. The creative mind is often a powerful weapon in the struggle against the malign.
In the case of Gerard M Burns’ ‘Mother Glasgow’ exhibition, that opened in the city’s east end on 6 March. The chosen instrument of action is 15 truly arresting portraits of women who have come from across the world to make Glasgow their home. And Burns had a surprise at the launch. He unveiled a 16th portrait, this one of Paulina Hryshchekno, a 9-year-old refugee from Ukraine.
Burns says of ‘Mother Glasgow’:
“It’s a celebration of identity, belonging and the power of women to shape the communities among them. Glasgow has always been a city of welcome.”
Talking to Bylines Scotland, the artist said the collection is his gift to his native city and to the women he painted. Burns revealed that each of his subjects will own their painting. They will surely become precious family treasures. Future Glaswegians will say with pride, “that’s my great-great-grandmother.”
The women in Burns’ paintings
Burns’ subjects include Italian and Indian restaurateurs, a Nigerian nurse, a French ballet dancer, the Japanese first violin and leader of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, a poet photographer with roots in Pakistan, an Iranian business executive, a Spanish social entrepreneur, the Vice Dean of a university department of electrical and electronic engineering from Algeria, a Glasgow city councillor from Sweden, a hospice chief executive, an Irish radio broadcaster, a Chamber of Commerce China manager, and Kulip Kaur Kohl, who came to Glasgow from Kenya in 1963. She has given a lifetime of service to the people of the city, mainly in the areas of health, welfare and community relations.
Scotland’s ‘welcome’ – Glasgow ‘home’
All the women have at least one thing in common. They have all found in Glasgow, in Gerard Burns’ words, “A welcome, security and friendship”. And Glasgow is the better for them coming. Some came to escape poverty or war or inequality or lack of opportunity. Others came to follow a career, or just because they’d heard of the place and wanted to feel its heartbeat. They have all repaid Glasgow’s welcome, Scotland’s embrace.
Eva Bolander, a Swede by birth and education, is a Glasgow City councillor. She rose to become Lord Provost of Glasgow, serving from 2017 until 2019. Her painting was the first of the ‘Mother Glasgow’ collection to be completed. She said of the works:
“Gerard Burns has created a unique collection of great art that speaks powerfully of what women can achieve and what they can contribute to building a better society.
“Gerard’s work also celebrates Glasgow, a city of warmth, compassion and great human decency. We are all, wherever we are from, all Jock Tamson’s bairns.”
Generous scale
Gerard Burns works on a generous scale of realism. There’s far more to every canvas than its subject. His portraits are so realistic that at first glance they can be taken as photographs. Among his skills is the ability not only to create a wholly life-like representation of his subject, but also to give the viewer a sense of their personality – of their human essence.
Portraits by Burns are to be found across the UK, in Europe, Canada and the USA. Among his best-known works are those of former Scottish First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon and the late Alex Salmond. The Glasgow crime writer Denise Mina and the late Doddie Weir, the much-loved Scottish rugby star and fundraiser for motor neuron disease, have also been captured by Burns. All four paintings are now part of the permanent collection of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Gerard Burns makes big paintings both physically and metaphorically. He is a painter of our time, a painter Glasgow needs to remind us and those who come that, as Michael Marra sang, “Mother Glasgow’s succour is perpetual“.
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