The Glasgow School of Art – Fire

By Bernie Bell

Glasgow School of Art

Photo B Bell

The fire started on Friday evening.  It was the weekend.  I don’t see/hear the news, at the weekend.  It’s the weekend.

Sunday evening, after a good day in the garden, I put the telly on and caught ‘Reporting Scotland’. There was a man, sitting in a newsroom, saying something about the Glasgow School of Art fire, with pictures of smoke and firemen on tall ladders with hoses.  I thought it was hearkening back to the fire, and that the next thing would be a ‘reveal’ of the next part of the re-construction process. I honestly thought that was what was happening, and waited, all agog, to see the developments.

Last big news, was the successful reproduction of a bay from the library, which showed that the methods and approaches being used, could work.

Then, it continued – a woman who lived nearby who had been evacuated as the structure is deemed unsafe – a fireman saying they’re still dealing with the remaining pockets of fire ( this was on SUNDAY, from  FRIDAY), and that it’s too early to even conjecture about what happened.

I just sat there.  Disbelief.

There are other buildings which he designed, and there are other works by himself and by Margaret MacDonald. What they did, what they were, and what they placed in this world, is still there. But…But…But…..this is/was the Glasgow School of Art.

The word used on the news, to describe it, now, was “A shell.”

They didn’t used to allow photos inside, but, the outside, and views across, from inside, are something of the place…

I wonder , do any other ‘Orkney News’ readers have images to share? You can send them to – fiona@theorkneynews.scot

And, Sunday evening, I raised another glass to MacDonald and MacKintosh/MacKintosh and MacDonald. To – The Macs.

Related stories:

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Charles Rennie Mackintosh By unidentified photographer (http://flann4.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/crm.jpg)

The Glasgow School of Art – Re-created

Celebrating Charles Rennie Mackintosh


 

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