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| Image Credit: The George & Cordelia Oliver Collection at the Glasgow School of Art |
Oliver played a key role in the set up and running of the
Third Eye Centre as a member of the Directors Committee and active participant serving
on the Third Eye Visual Arts Sub-Committee.
As a supporter of the centre she frequently wrote reviews of its
programme, however not all necessarily full of praise as it seems she did not
allow her proximity to cloud her judgement.
An extract here from an interview with founding Director Tom McGrath on
his ambitions for the newly opened centre in 1975 is one particular prize for
our research from this fastidiously complete yet personal collection of
writing.
“When it set out on
its new venture neither [Scottish Arts] Council nor Glasgow committee had any
clear idea of how to shape the thing [Glasgow Art Centre]. So Tom McGrath has enjoyed the widest
possible brief simply to make it work. What
does he have in mind for Third Eye, as it is now called?...’You ask what I mean
to do at Third Eye? Everything I see that seems valid, ‘Put into Place and let
it happen’: I think I’ll have that quotation put above the door. The interesting thing is the coexistence of different
cultures, even different approaches to the same culture. At Blysthwood Square [previous site of
Scottish Arts Council Glasgow Gallery and offices] we had art shows, concerts
of baroque music, poetry readings, jazz, folk, and they all had completely
different audiences. I’d like to see
some cross-fertilisation. Third Eye may
well settle in with one particular audience, but not till after I’ve left
it...Let’s say I’m interested in a breakdown between compartments in the
arts. I’m interested in an international
present and a local situation. I can’t
see the outcome – that’s what makes it so exciting.’”
By Cordelia Oliver
from Arts Guardian, Manchester Guardian, February 1975.
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