Scott Myles
Head in a Bell

July 27, 2024–February 25, 2025
Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow


A new exhibition of painting, sculpture, print, moving image and sound by Scott Myles, through which the artist examines ideas of exchange and circulation.

“Head in a Bell” will be open from 10am on Saturday 27 July, with an opening celebration from 2 to 4pm: Free, and open to all – drop in

At the heart of the exhibition is Instrument for the People of Glasgow, a social sculpture comprised entirely of donations from Eurorack synthesizer manufacturers from many different countries.

Myles views his action of asking ‘a little, from a lot of people’ as an egalitarian model of economic organisation. His artistic strategy is applicable to other contexts and scenarios, for example politics. In the spirit of this gifting model, Myles has produced a poster detailing all the donations, with printed copies free to take away by visitors. At the close of the show Myles will donate the instrument to Glasgow Library of Synthesized Sound (GLOSS), the UK’s first electronic musical instrument library.

The exhibition features a collaboration with artist Oscar Prentice-Middleton. Myles and Prentice-Middleton have attached sensitive geophone microphones, which detect vibrations, to the gallery’s hidden air-exchange system. Wires physically connect the concealed plant room to Instrument for the People of Glasgow in the public gallery, creating a new live sound work that reacts to GoMA’s infrastructure. Head in a Bell invites viewers to consider unseen aspects of our institutions, forms of organisation, companionship and the climate emergency.

Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Friday and Sunday 11am to 5pm

Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Scott Myles Able Inhaled, 2024 Acrylic on canvas 270 x 346 cm Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Scott Myles Untitled (Echo), 2016 – ongoing, (Detail) aluminium, powder coating, snail shells, hot glue, steel fixings, wooden sticks, string, shelving support upright, tape measure, microphone, cable 183 x 67 x 67 cm Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Scott Myles Grey Box, 2024 Found object (filing cabinet), oil paint, silkscreen, flight case, ratchet straps 116.5 x 75 x 90 cm Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Installation view, Scott Myles, Head in a Bell, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, 2024. Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson
Scott Myles Instrument for the People of Glasgow, 2023-2024 Donated Eurorack synthesiser modules, two ADAM Audio speakers, flight case, silkscreen, cables, Perspex Installed: 48 x 143 x 178 cm Courtesy of The Artist and The Modern Institute/ Toby Webster Ltd., Glasgow. Photo: Patrick Jameson