HISTORY Tramway is Scotland’s most internationally acclaimed venue for contemporary visual and performing art. This reputation is founded upon our commitment to the presentation of the most innovative work by Scottish and international artists. The very distinctive architecture, character and history of the venue itself have ensured that Tramway is a unique place to produce and experience the best in contemporary art. The building began life in 1893 as the Coplawhill tramshed and, in the early years of the twentieth century, it served as the city’s main tram terminus, depot and factory. Following the demise of the trams in Glasgow in the early 1960s, the building was transformed into the Museum of Transport. In 1986, the Museum of Transport was relocated from Albert Drive in the south side of the city to Kelvinhall in Glasgow’s west end. Consequently, the vacant building faced demolition until ambitious plans were developed during the late 1980s in preparation for Glasgow’s year as City of Culture in 1990. Tramway was launched as a direct result of the search for a venue which had the capacity to house what would be, in 1988, the only UK performances of Peter Brook’s Mahabharata. The unrivalled scale of the former tramsheds, and the flexibility offered by its industrial architecture, meant that the building was uniquely placed to house such a momentous production. In 1989, the acclaimed British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy staged his now internationally renowned project Snowballs in Summer in what would become Tramway’s principal gallery space. This early programme was consolidated during 1990 with the return of Peter Brook, the first visit to Glasgow of the Canadian Director Robert Lepage and the development of a major exhibitions programme including a solo show by the British artist David Mach and a group show of work by Italian artists: Temperamenti. Tramway’s full potential as a major international venue was realised during 1990 and, in 1991, The Independent noted that ‘The brightest legacy of Glasgow’s year as City of Culture is surely the survival of Tramway.’ From 1990 on, Tramway has given equal focus to work by international and Scottish artists. Both the performing and visual arts programmes have commissioned new work and created opportunities for local artists to present their work within an international context. As a result, Tramway plays a central role in the support, development and promotion of work by Scottish artists. Many Glasgow–based visual artists – now acclaimed internationally – were given their first major solo exhibitions at Tramway: Douglas Gordon’s 24 Hour Psycho was commissioned by Tramway in 1993 and Christine Borland’s exhibition From Life was shown in 1994. Well-established companies such as Suspect Culture, Theatre Cryptic (now Cryptic), Theatre Babel and Boilerhouse all benefited from support through Tramway’s "Dark Light" commissions programme during the 1990s, followed by a new and even younger generation of companies and individuals such as Vanishing Point, 12 Stars, Pauline Goldsmith and Anna Krzystek. All of them, pushing the boundaries of innovation and experimentation, challenging and redefining theatre and performance for the new century. In 1998 Tramway was awarded Scottish Arts Council National Lottery funding to facilitate the development of this vast building. In June 2000, the venue reopened with improved and better–equipped theatre and exhibition spaces and – in the newly opened stable spaces on the first floor – a café bar, residency, rehearsal and workshop spaces. Tramway’s artistic programme since June 2000 has aimed to maintain and build upon its already enviable reputation. Return visits by Robert LePage, The Wooster Group, and Les Ballet C de la B have been augmented by exciting new international work from Zero Visibility, Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes, Victoria Theater, Akram Khan and Reckless Sleepers. Major international visual artists, such as Thomas Hirschhorn, Pierre Huyghe, Philippe Parreno, Raymond Pettibon, João Penalva and Pipilotti Rist have all shown at Tramway in the past two years. The international exhibition ran in parallel with a programme devoted to Scottish artists: Henry VIII’s Wives, Ilana Halperin, Janice McNab, Alan Michael, Sally Osborn, Mary Redmond, Carol Rhodes, David Sherry, Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan are only a few of the artists to have shown in all three of Tramway’s visual arts spaces. A full exhibition chronology is available on this site and if you require any further information on any aspect of Tramway’s programme please contact the venue directly. Tramway Visual Arts Exhibition Programme: 1989 - 2002 1989 Snowballs in Summer Andy Goldsworthy Tramway 2 1990 Here to Stay David Mach 5 March – 29 April Tramway 2 Behind the Mirror: Works by Aberdeen Cyrenians Workshop & Print Studio 26 February – 10 March Tramway 2 The Compass Contribution: 21 Years of Contemporary Art 10 May – 23 June Tramway 2 Le Cinq Absalon, David Boeno, Gérard Colin Thiébaut, Fabrice Hybert, Phillipe Perrin 12 July – 26 August Tramway 2 Dice Works George Lappas 12 July – 26 August Tramway 3 Vertical Balcony Bruce McLean 12 September Tramway 2 Temperamenti: Contemporary Art from Northern Italy Giovanni Anselmo, Marco Gastini, Paolo Icaro, Eliseo Mattiacci, Hidetoshi Nagasawa, Giulio Paolini, Claudio Parmiggiani, Giuseppe Penone, Giuseppe Spagnulo, Gilberto Zorio 11 October – 18 November Tramway 2 New North: New Art from the North of Britain Steven Campbell. Charlies Meecham, Maud Sulter, John Hyatt, Eileen Lawrence, Lesley Sanderson, Felim Egan, Ron O’Donnell, Daniel Reeves, Thomas Joshua Cooper, Locky Morris, Lois Williams, Jagit Chuhan, Ian McCulloch, Martin Wedge, James Hugonin 2 December 1990 – 27 January 1991 Tramway 2 1991 GBPQ 91 5 September – 12 October Tramway 1 Future Memories: Glasgow Photographs Itself: Ten Years of the Cranhill Arts Centre 24 November 1991 – 24 January 1992 Tramway 1 1992 T–Zone: Transfiguration in Architecture 15 February – 15 March Tramway 2 Hunger for Gold David McMillan 2 May – 7 June Tramway 2 Blue and White Matthew Dalziel 2 May – 7 June Tramway 3 Tony Cragg 25 July – 6 September Tramway 2 Read My Lips – New York Aids Polemic ACT UP, Gran Fury, Jenny Holzer, Keith Haring, Robert Farber, Felix Gonzalez–Torres, Donald Moffett, Adam Rolston, David Wojnarowicz, Electric Blanket 26 October – 1 December Tramway 2 1993 24 Hour Psycho Douglas Gordon 24 April – 23 May Tramway 2 un(framed) Alfredo Jaar 12 June – 18 July Tramway 1 Work from a Residency Elsie Mitchell 12 June – 18 July Tramway 2 Downtown Train Kazuo Katase 14 August – 26 Spetember Tramway 2 Up Against the Wall Kate Charlesworth, Howard Cruse, Catherine Jackson, Angela Martin, David Shenton 30 October – 5 November Tramway 2 Welfare State International Lantern Arcade 18 December 1993 – 23 January 1994 1994 Flammable Solid Flammable Liquid Glen Onwin 12 – 31 March Tramway 2 Live Version David Allen 12 and 13 March Tramway Bar Lost Property Christian Boltanski 30 April – 12 June Tramway 2 Part Edit Jacqueline Donachie 24 June – 3 July Tramway 2 V–Topia: Visions of a Virtual World John Butler, Paul Butler, Susan Collins, Graham Ellard, Stephen Johnstone, Clive Gillman, Lynn Hersman, Richard Land, Grahame Weinbren 30 July – 11 September Tramway 2 From Life Christine Borland 15 October – 27 November Tramway 2 Imagine you are Walking Julian Opie 15 October – 27 November Project Room 1995 Living Together Stephen Willats 21 January –26 February Tramway 2 Work in Progress Roderick Buchanan 21 January – 26 February Project Room Wild at Heart: Works Made for the Henry Moore Sculpture Trust 24 March – 15 April Tramway 2 Trust Marina Abramovic and Ulay, Vito Acconci, Lothar Baumgarten, Willie Doherty, Stan Douglas, Cheryl Donnegan, Maria Eichhorn, Karen Eslea, Felix Gonzalez–Torres, Carsten Höller, Komar and Mellamid, Guy Limone, Juan Muñoz, Cady Noland, Tony Oursler, Peter Reich, Rikrit Tiravanija, Rosemarie Trockel, Marijke van Warmedam, Lawrence Weiner, David Wilkinson, Andrew Zittel 7 May – 18 June Tramway 2 John Shankie 2 – 24 September Tramway 2 Stephanie Smith & Edward Stewart 2 – 24 Spetember Project Room A Brush With Death Jonathon Monk 16 – 24 September Sound Lobby Fish Story Alan Sekula 6 October – 12 November Tramway 2 Harry’s Diary Donigan Cumming 6 October – 12 November Sound Lobby 1996 Sugar Hiccup Elisabeth Ballet, Sam Samore, Richard Wright 10 February – 24 March Tramway 2 Appearances Jim Harold 10 February – 24 March Project Room Instant Smith & Stewart, Jane & Louise Wilson, Michael Curran, John Wood & Wilson Harrison, Yael Feldman, Roderick Buchanan 10 February – 24 March Raymond Pettibon 29 March – 14 April Project Room Big Eyes Small Window Niek Kemps 7 June – 14 July Tramway 2 Slide Show Ceal Floyer 7 June – 14 July Projcet Room Film Culture A Sense of the End in Glasgow/Two Impossible Films Mark Lewis MMM (Million Men March) Charles Daniels 15 September – 20 October Tramway 2 and Project Room Million Man March: Charles Daniel’s Street Photography 15 September – 20 October Urban Turban Bruce McLean 29 September The Unbelievable Truth AP Komen & Karen Murphy, Jop Koelewijn, Fanni Niemi–Junkola, David Shrigley, Barbara Visser 16 November – 22 December Where are you Going? Nicola Atkinson–Griffiths 16 November – 22 December Tramway 2 Année Olofsson 16 November – 22 December Sound Lobby 1997 Interior of the Planit Irwin Group/NSK 28 March – 11 April Tramway 2 Complete Contempt Bruce McLean 3 – 18 May Tramway 2 The Lovers Dumb Type – Teiji Furuhashi 20 September – 25 October Tramway 2 Untitled (The Diary of Anne Frank) Jason E. Bowman 20 September – 25 October Fotofeis 97 Interior/After Shooting Yoshiko Kamikura 10 – 25 October Tramway 2 Fotofeis 97 Spitfire 123 Lyndal Jones 10 – 25 October Tramway 2 Fotofeis 97 Truckstops and Lover’s Lanes Evergon 10 – 25 October Was There Then Jill Furmanovsky 22 November – 21 December Tramway 2 1998 Ulay/Abramovic: Performances 1976 – 1988 14 February – 14 March Tramway 2 Host 9 April – 23 May Tramway 2, Sound Lobby and Project Room MFA at Tramway 24 June – 4 July Tramway 2, Sound Lobby and Project Room 1999 Glaschu Anya Gallaccio 11 March – 25 April Tramway @ Corinthian, Ingram Street, Glasgow Space Invader Iain Kettles and Susie Hunter 29 March – 2 May Tramway @ Union Place, Glasgow Zones An audiology of the river clyde Stephen Hurrel 13 – 14 November Tramway @ River Clyde, Glasgow Arc Peter McCaughey 10 – 19 December Tramway @ ABC Cinema, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow Dark Lights Commissions 1999 Maria Doyle, Anne Bjerge Hansen, Dominic Hislop 19 November – 18 December Tramway @ Intermedia, Glasgow 2000 Another Place Alan Currall, Tacita Dean, Graham Gussin, Joachim Koester, Ann Lislegaard, Jeremy Millar, Mike Nelson, Sean Snyder 1 June – 16 July Tramway 2 Journey to the Centre of the Universe Virginie Barré, Christelle Familiari, Guillaume Janot, Laurent Moriceau, Bruno Peinado 1 June – 9 July Project Room Sally Osborn 1 June – 16 July Tramway site 336 Pek (336 Rivers) João Penalva 23 June – 16 July Tramway 4 Carol Rhodes 28 July – 27 August Project Room Reconnaissance Justin Carter and Shaz Kerr 8 September – 8 October Project Room Red Marauder Ian Balch, Neal Beggs, Kevin Kelly, Alan Michael, Mary Redmond 6 October – 5 November Tramway 2 Vivre sa vie Pierre Huyghe and Philippe Parreno 17 November – 17 December Tramway 2 Vivre sa vie Valérie Mréjen 17 November – 17 December, 2000 Project Room 2001 Mirror’s Edge Franz Ackermann, Francis Alÿs, Beth Coleman and Howard Goldkrand, Thomas Demand, Cecilia Edefalk, Ceal Floyer, Meschac Gaba, Carlos Garaicoa, Thomas Hirschhorn, Henrik Håkansson, Arthur Jafa, Rei Kawakubo, Bodys Isek Kingelez, Bill Lundberg, Steve McQueen, N55, Olu Oguibe, Raymond Pettibon, Liisa Roberts, Joachim Schönfeldt, Yinka Shonibare, Peter Spaans, Thomas Struth, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Sophie Tottie 2 March – 15 April Tramway 2, Project Room, Upper Foyer, Balcony and Video Room Show A Leg Pipilotti Rist 4 May – 10 June Tramway 2 Comfortably Being Alive David Sherry 4 May – 10 June Project Room MFA Glasgow 2001 22 June – 20 June Tramway 2, Project Room, Upper Foyer and Video Room Total Object Complete with Missing Parts Fiona Banner, Angela Bulloch, Eugenio Dittborn, Angele Ferreira, Pamela Golden, Mariele Neudecker, João Penalva, Susan Philipsz, Nedko Solakov, Yehudit Sasportas, Simon Starling 7 September – 28 October Tramway 2 Ilana Halperin 7 September – 28 October Project Room Senselessness–lessness Anne Bjerge Hansen, Stuart Gurden, Julian Kildear, Phillip Lai, Kristin Mojsiewicz, Scott Myles, Michelle Naismith, Fred Pederson, Jens Volz/David Sherry, Peter Welz, Elle Ziegler 7 September – 28 October Video Room Ways of Doing the Night Michelle Naismith and Mick Peter 7 – 20 September Upper Foyer HK Tom O’Sullivan and Joanne Tatham 23 November – 20 January Tramway 2 Rachel Mimiec 23 November – 23 December Project Room Tatiana Lund 23 November – 23 December Upper Foyer 2002 The Greenock Factory Project Janice McNab 18 January – 3 March Project Room Light without shadow Henry VIIIs Wives 12 April – 26 May Tramway 2 Sleeping with the Elephant Canada/Scotland Exchange Programme 12 April – 12 May Project Room and Upper Foyer Lucy McEachan 12 April – 12 May, 2002 Balcony MFA Glasgow 2002 19 – 30 June Tramway 2, Project Room, Upper Foyer and Video Room Greyscale/CMYK 29 August – 20 October Tramway 2 Fred Pedersen and Scott Myles 29 August – 6 October, 2002 Project Room 2002/2003 Our Love Is Like The Flowers, The Rain, the Sea and the Hours Martin Boyce 22 November - 19 January 2003 Tramway 2 Waldgeschichten (Tales from the Woods) Simone Landwher-Traxler 11 April - 18 May The Project Room Eye-Level Lara Rivera 11 April - 18 May Upper Foyer Gallery Cave Salla Tykka 2 May - 8 June Tramway 2 MFA Glasgow 2003 19 - 29 June Tramway 2, Project Room and Upper Foyer Gallery