Early on Thursday morning, The Herald revealed to the world that Glasgow is hosting Banksy’s first solo exhibition in 14 years.
‘CUT & RUN’, which has been officially authorised by the mysterious graffiti artist, reveals for the first time the stencils used to create many of the artist’s most iconic works.
Spanning from 1998 to the present day, Banksy calls the exhibition, which includes authentic artefacts, ephemera and the artist’s actual toilet, ‘25 years card labour’.
The new show, which is being staged at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow city centre, runs for three months from this coming Sunday until the end of August.
Review: Banksy, Cut & Run: What a show he has put on for Glasgow, for the world
As Banksy fans across the globe clamour for tickets to the show ahead of it opening to the public, some lucky local schoolkids got the chance to be among the first members of the public to through the huge golden doors of the GoMA to see it.
Among them were fourth year students at Springburn Academy, located in the north of Glasgow, who were joined by their Art & Design teachers Leanne Blair and Amy Jones on Friday morning.
While an extra-curricular visit to the GoMA had been in the work for months, it was only on Wednesday that the penny dropped and the teachers realised the pupils were being treated to a trip to see a new exhibition Banksy - the most famous and celebrated graffiti artist in the world.
Speaking to The Herald minutes after visiting the show, the teachers, who admitted they were “quite emotional” post-visit, expressed their delight at being among the first to see the show.
Ms Blair said: “Its such a privilege. It really is. I think having these experiences for the kids to see that first-hand is just amazing.
“We only found out yesterday. It was kept a secret until then. It’s been in planning for quite a few months because school trips take forever to organise.
“I think the pupils really enjoyed it. I had my little one with me and he enjoyed it as well.
“I think we could have had a wee bit more time looking at the actual written material but visually I think the space had a kind of environment, like an actual experience. So that was good.
“I’d definitely recommend other Glaswegians come down and see it. It’s a must.
“I think for myself seeing the little stencils of the rats was the best part, because that’s such an iconic image. And just actually seeing the process.”
“I’m already planning to come back”, added Ms Jones.
“I think some pupils more than others really got the subversive nature and the humour. There’s been a lot of giggling - in a good way, and a properly engaged way. It’s been really good.”
READ MORE: First look at Glasgow's Banksy exhibition CUT and RUN
Ms Blair hopes that seeing Banksy’s works up close and the behind-the-scenes process of how they were made at the solo show - the first by the artist since 2009's Banksy versus Bristol Museum - will inspire the pupils when it comes to producing their own work.
“They could incorporate what they saw into their expressive work in some way. We study Banksy in second year. They see his work and comment on it and analyse it. It’s in our curriculum.”
As the pupils gathered for a group photo next to the traffic cone-adorned Duke of Wellington statue - Banksy’s “favourite work of art in the UK”- the teachers wanted to extend their gratitude to the artist for allowing the pupils the chance to be among the very first to see the new exhibition.
Fighting back tears, Ms Jones said: “I feel touched. It’s quite emotional. Our school is obviously in a very diverse and deprived area and I’m so proud that we have the pupils here. We thank Banksy.”
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