Swamp Thing (2009)
By Alex Gross
Transmission Gallery Glasgow

“As part of Transmission Gallery’s Scottish Solo Show 2009, three Committee Members of the Gallery were invited by the artist to visit the “La Tomatina” in Buñol, Spain. The purpose of the visit was to document their personal experiences in the form of photos, video, and writing. An accompanying essay is a result of this project. The experience of ‘La Tomatina’ – the colours, the smells, the contours of people hanging from buildings – become indirectly translated into structural form. Gross’ temporary installation “Swamp Thing” is an articulation of his absurd investigations into sculptural excess. Gross is interested in specific environments. The installation, ‘Swap Thing’, sited for six weeks at a grass slope in Ruchill, Glasgow, was situated nearby the Canal and recently built Mondrian Residencies. Due to the type of ground soil underneath the structure, the earth turned into deep, slippery mud, subtley echoing the slush and chaos of the ‘La Tomatina’ and slowing down the spectators’ steps, transforming the experience of the surrounding architecture into an indirectly performative rite.”