Untitled (Forever Young, The Smiths). There is a light that never goes out. Detail.
Glenn Walls. Untitled (Forever Young, The Smiths). Mirror tiles, laser cut metal, gold beads, 2022. Words are taken from The Smiths’ 1985 song “There is a light that never goes out”.
Glenn Walls. Untitled (Forever Young, The Smiths). Mirror tiles, laser cut metal, gold beads, 2022. Words are taken from The Smiths’ 1985 song “There is a light that never goes out”.
Glenn Walls. Untitled (Forever Young, The Smiths). Mirror tiles, laser cut metal, gold beads, 2022. Words are taken from The Smiths’ 1985 song “There is a light that never goes out”.
Rationale
Architecture’s preoccupation with ‘normality’ has left little room for queer space to come to the fore. My current practice contributes to the public acknowledgment of queer space in the built environment by highlighting hidden identities. I am interested in creating a personal definition of queer space that is not hidden and is a reaction against normative symbols of masculinity and the ‘heterosexual assumption’ presented by 1960s Italian architectural group Superstudio anti-design grid.
This work extends my practice to encompass a boarder approach to queer space through the placement of text from queer-identifying writers and singers in the built environment. This work aims to highlight how a perceived dominant heterosexual space can be altered to queer space. Utilising the language of Superstudio’s Anti-design grid that overshadow the personal and private needs of the individual I construct narratives, in this case by incorporating the lyrics by perceived queer singer/songwriter Morrisey of The Smiths that adds new layers to Superstudio’s anti-design mirrored grid architecture to imbue it with personal significance.
“And if a double-decker bus crashes into us to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die” is from The Smiths’ 1985 song, “There is a light and it never goes out”.
This work centres on redefining the masculine/heterosexual dominance of modernist structures and spaces via texts and realigns it with a sexual minority.
Seven Magic Mountains- Ugo Rondinone
Ugo Rondinone. Seven Magic Mountains. 2016. Produced by Nevada Museum of Art and Art Production Fund.
A large-scale desert artwork. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Artist Statement: Seven Magic Mountains is an artwork of thresholds and crossings, of balance marvels and excessive colors, of casting and gathering, and the contrary air between the desert and the city lights.
I have used queer artist Ugo Rondinone boulders from this installation in a number of artworks in recent years. All were photoshopped from photographs from friends. Hence it was with great pleasure that I was able to recently visit Seven Magic Mountains and photograph this incredible installation in the Nevada desert myself. The day we visited the work was a hot 44 Celsius or 111 Fahrenheit. Needless to say, we were unable to spend a huge amount of time in the heat but it was enough to get some great photos of the installation and explore the majestic nature of the sculpture.
Sadly the bases of the seven works had been heavily graffitied. I will never understand why people feel the need to do this. Enjoy.
Super – I keep dancing on my own
Glenn Walls. I keep dancing on my own. Wood, mirror perspex & paint. 2020
Glenn Walls. I keep dancing on my own + mirror cube. Wood, mirror perspex, paint, mirror tiles and chain. 2020
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Pandemic Architecture
Glenn Walls. I think we fucked up. (Theo Van Doesburgh, Contra-Construction: project for a private house. Axonometric. 1923). Pencil on paper. 2020. 21 x 29 cms
Glenn Walls - SUPER CREATIVE GRID 
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