GSA Archives and wanderlust

A new exhibition of GSA Archive and Library materials is now on display in the GSA Library! Displaying a selection of travel related materials to satisfy your wanderlust there are a number of artefacts from our holdings currently on show on the mezzanine and second floor of the GSA Library.

GSA Archives and Library Display on the mezzanine floor of the GSA Library
GSA Archives and Library Display on the mezzanine floor of the GSA Library
GSA Archives and Library Display on the second floor of the GSA Library
GSA Archives and Library Display on the second floor of the GSA Library

The majority of the items on display were produced or collected by students who received travelling bursaries from the School in the mid-20th century. During this time the School would award several of these bursaries each year to encourage students to learn from foreign examples of art, architecture and sculpture, and to use their experience on these trips to further develop their creative practice. In the GSA Archives and Collections we have several artefacts and records from students relating to prizes such as the Haldane Travelling Scholarship, the J Arnold Fleming Pottery Prize and the John Keppie Scholarship. Today the GSA continues to support learning opportunities abroad by encouraging students to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme.

Some of the GSA alumni who won and took part in these prizes went on to become internationally recognised artists. Look out for some of Joan Eardley, Harry Anthony Wheeler (for more information on Wheeler see our Skills for the Future Trainee’s past post Wheeler’s Travels) and ‘The Two Roberts’ – Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde – work on display.

Travel Diaries Exhibition on Pinterest
Travel Diaries Exhibition on Pinterest

The exhibition of GSA Archives and Library materials is on display inside the GSA Library, and now on Pinterest! You can see images of these items on the Pinterest page GSA Archives – Travel Diaries.

If you are interested in finding out more about any of the archive materials on display do get in touch with us at archives@gsa.ac.uk. Until next time!