Biography | Pamela So
Pamela So was born in Glasgow, Scotland. She graduated from Glasgow University and afterwards from the Environmental Art Department at Glasgow School of Art in 1998.
Since then, she has worked as a freelance artist based in Glasgow and North Ayrshire. She has undertaken Public Art commissions and devised many education projects using her own work as a reference point, the most recent being the ‘Cherish: Chinese Families in Britain’ project for the National Portrait Gallery, London.
In 2003, she was selected for The Autograph Residency at Syracuse University, NY and in 2005 she undertook the Breathe Residency at Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester where she developed her particular form of large-scale paper cutting which has since been exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Solo shows at the Crawford Arts Centre, St Andrews and the Collins Gallery, Glasgow in 2005/2006, resulted in a publication of her work. (see bibliography)
Her work is based on extensive research into domestic and cultural histories in museums and libraries or working with a particular group of people. She employs the manipulative qualities of digital photography to re-interpret and re-present history based on her Scottish/Chinese background.
Her works are often made for specific locations and their histories, the intuitive response to these sites being an important part of her art practice.
Qualifications & Education
B.A.(Hons) Fine Art, Glasgow School of Art, 1998.
M.A. Glasgow University , 1968
Distinction for dissertation: Contemporary ‘Chinese’ art in Britain and Mainland China.
Exchange to Manchester Metropolitan University, 1997.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2006 The Collector's Landscape
- The Collins Gallery, Strathclyde University, Glasgow
- 2006 The Collector's Garden
- Crawford Arts Centre, St Andrews
- 2005 In the Mood
- The Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, facilitated by Ricefield Gallery, Glasgow
- 2004 Surface
- Ricefield Gallery, Glasgow
- 2003 tea TRADE
- public artwork created for Glasgow’s Black History Month, the basement, Merchant Square, Glasgow, funded by SAC, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance.
- 2003 Eros
- The Valley Arts Resource Centre, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
- 2001 The Paradise Garden
- Harbour Arts Center, Irvine, North Ayrshire.
- 2000 Past Perfect, Present Tense
- the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester.
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2008 CHINESE WHISPERS Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
- Royal Pavillion Gardens, Brighton
- 2008 GLASS ALTAR CLOTH commissioned by National Glass Centre
- St Peters Church , Sunderland
- 2007 BOUTIQUE curated by Ying Kwok
- The Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester
- 2007 RE-ASPORA curated by Ken Pratt
- MAMA: Media and Moving Art, Rotterdam
- 2007 Women in Exile, with Rachel Thibbotomunuwe
- The Artists in Exile Gallery, Osborne St, Glasgow
- 2007 Inside Out – Year of the pig 2007
- The Trocadero Centre, London
- 2007 the glasgow project
- Reinraum, Dusseldorf
- 2006 Cherish: Chinese Families in Britain
- National Portrait Gallery, London
- 2005 Ricochet exhibition
- Stills Gallery, Edinburgh
- 2005 Self
- McManus Galleries, Dundee, a Craftspace touring exhibition originating at Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham, 2004 and subsequent national tour
- 2004 We didn't mean to be bad kids – TV made us do it,
- Warrington Art Gallery and Museum, National tour.
- 2004 Documentation of the Trade project for the SAC’s New Voices
- Hidden Histories conference, The Space, Dundee
- 2003 Mothers and Sons
- The Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
- 2003 32 eme Moussem Feminin Artistique Culturel
- Asilah, Morrocco
- 2002 Her Presence in Colours V
- International Womens Art Exhibition, The Clock Tower Gallery. Sheffield
- 2002 Ten Thousand Li
- Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool and subsequent 2-year national tour with Dinu Li, Yuen-yi Lo and Yeu-lai Mo
- 2001 Exhibition, Gateway Theatre, Edinburgh
- Exhibition of artists books from Year of the Artist Residency, at the Lasting Legacy Conference
- 2000 Blue
- The Vennel Gallery, Irvine. Inaugural show of Real Artists Partnerships
- 2001 Shanghai International Arts Fair, China
- Exhibitor with the Chinese Arts Centre
- 1999 Solas 1:
- Temporary public art work at The Old Graveyard, Largs. Commissioned by North Ayrshire Council and Independent Public Arts
Video Screenings
2005 Buddies, Fablevision outdoor performance, Fountain Gardens, Paisley
2004 Electric Shadows, Glasgow Chinese Film Festival, ‘Picnic By Loch Lomond'
2002 Bildwechsel, Hamburg.Women's International video festival.
2002 Leicester Square , London . Video projection Big Screen, Little China British Chinese Artists Association.
