Talk of the Steamie (2018)
Hung Out to Dry
Glasgow artist Donna Rutherford has been devising original work since 1990, crossing the roles of writer, stage performer and video maker. She has developed solo and collaborative projects in the UK and abroad with a wide range of artists, musicians and community participants.
Continuing her approach of combining personal story with social history and psychology, Donna has been working with Govanhill Baths Community Trust to create this short performance ‘Hung Out To Dry’ – to abandon someone who needs help.
As part of the performance local women discuss their experience of Glasgow’s wash-houses; Victorian attitudes to ‘poorer brethern’; modern conveniences and modern life; mothers and daughters and the future of dirt!
“But to the beggar and the king
Clean linen’s a reviving thing…”
Review of Donna’s previous show KIN from The Herald *****
“Rutherford is a performer with a track record and experience that ensures her exploration has profound and significant depth… she has an instinct for delving into the heartland of everyday life. Here, she succeeds in confronting our fears while reminding us to celebrate shared humanity.”
Conference
Talk of the Steamie will explore the importance of Public Wash-houses to working class communities, especially women, in the UK during the 19th and 20th centuries. It will consider the social and cultural significance that they played in their communities then and the importance of this heritage now. It will also think about the future of women’s health and well-being as Govanhill Baths is remodelled into a Health and Well-being Centre.
As part of the conference there will be a new work Hung Out To Dry, from critically acclaimed Glasgow theatre maker, Donna Rutherford (www.donnarutherford.org).
The conference is accompanied by the Talk of the Steamie exhibition: Wed 5th Sept – Fri 28th Sept , 10am – 5.30pm
Conference Programme
10.00 Registration and refreshments
10.15 Introduction & Welcome
Paula Larkin, Independent Archivist, Govanhill Baths
10.20 The Baths and Wash-houses Collection
Dr Irene O’Brien, Archivist, Glasgow City Archives.
11.05 Working class Women in Post-war Glasgow & Scotland
Dr Andrea Thomson, Research Associate – Housing, Feminism and Women’s Citizenship in Britain, c.1945 to the present, Faculty of History, University of Oxford.
11.35 Q&A
11.45 Refreshment break
12.00 Women of the Manchester Wash-houses
Frances Worsley.
12.30 Q&A
12.40 Exhibition & Tour of the Building
13.10 Networking lunch
14.00 Hung Out To Dry
Donna Rutherford, Glasgow theatre maker.
14.30 The Rise and Fall of Edinburgh Wash-houses
Steven Robb, Heritage Management Directorate, Historic Environment Scotland.
15.00 Community in Govanhill
Dr Heather Lynch, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University.
15.30 Q&A – What have we lost? What have we gained?
With local women who used the Steamie.
16.00 Close
Talk of the Steamie Exhibition
Wednesday 5th September – Friday 28th September 2018
Glasgow Steamies; Allan Bovill
Glasgow Steamies provides an insight into the steamies of the 1980’s when they were starting to head into decline as more people began to own their own washing machines. The photographs were taken in 1988 and are of three steamies in and around Glasgow city centre – Maryhill, Reidvale and Osborne Street, which is now home to The Modern Institute.
Last Day at the Washhouse: Brian Scotchburn Snell
On the 31st March 1977 two of Edinburgh’s public wash-houses, McLeod St and Lochrin closed their doors for the last time as traditional Steamies.
Brian Scotchburn Snell undertook a photo essay on that day recording these important community facilities and particularly the women (and very few men) who gave them so much character.
These are Giclée photographic prints on archival quality Fine Art paper.
Textile Workshops Display – in the main Pool
Local artist Amelia Rowe and pupils from Annette St primary
Banners and fabrics produced by local children who engaged with historic images and videos of wash-houses in Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. Thanks to Glasgow City Archives.
Hung Out To Dry: Donna Rutherford
Glasgow artist Donna Rutherford has been devising original work since 1990, crossing the roles of writer, stage performer and video maker. She has developed solo and collaborative projects in the UK and abroad with a wide range of artists, musicians and community participants.
Continuing her approach of combining personal story with social history and psychology, Donna has been working with Govanhill Baths Community Trust to create this short performance ‘Hung Out To Dry’ – to abandon someone who needs help.
As part of the performance local women discuss their experience of Glasgow’s wash-houses; Victorian attitudes to ‘poorer brethren’; modern conveniences and modern life; mothers and daughters and the future of dirt!
“But to the beggar and the king
Clean linen’s a reviving thing…”
Hung Out To Dry will be presented on monitor in the exhibition from Monday 10th September.
Govanhill Baths Community Trust is not responsible for the content of websites and pages maintained by external providers.
