Evicted Gran's shock at Scottish Sun Scoop!

Evicted Gran’s shock at Scottish Sun Scoop!

Margaret Jaconelli was surprised today (26.07.2012) to find herself on the front page of the Scottish Sun. She was even more surprised to see how what she’d said had been twisted by the Sun to cook up a typically fabricated story that bore very little relation to what she’d actually said.
To clear up matters we spoke to Margaret Jaconelli today. This is what she said about the ‘Golden tenement’ project featured as ‘artless’ (heartless) in the Scottish Sun front page-story today:
“Basically, i think the Golden Tenement project is a great idea. To say that i had ‘horror’ at the plan is a complete misrepresentation”
“I’ve spoken with Neil McGuire, one of the artists, and i told him it was a brilliant way to publicise the way that houses like mine have been devalued. The tenement is a classic example of Glasgow housing and yet the City Council seem intent on tearing them down, just like they did mine.  I wish them every luck with their project and only wish more artists showed a genuine interest in all the destruction that’s happening in Dalmarnock”
“We want to raise the question of compulsory purchase orders (CPO’s) because it’s not just our home that has been demolished so that developers can cash in on so-called regeneration. The orders used to target slum landlords and things like that in the way of new housing developments for poor people, but now they’re being used to target poor people so that developers can profit from demolition and reconstruction. Myself and the other shopkeepers who were CPO’s haven’t received a penny yet from the Council – i hope the Golden Tenement project goes some way towards highlighting that”.

The Golden Tenement

‘The ‘Golden Tenement’ project will mass produce, low cost, replica Golden Tenements (just like Mrs Jaconelli’s home in Dalmarnock) to be sold as souvenirs outside sporting grounds as part of the Creative Scotland initiated ‘Scotland Can Make It!’ retail plan in 2020. These replica’s will connect the games (as it happens) to Mrs Jaconelli’s story and other stories of displacement through regeneration. Profits from the sale of the Golden Tenements will be used to fund the creation of a single gold casting of a Dalmarnock tenement.The  Golden Tenement will in turn be donated to a community-based East-end charity’.
…and here’s the full Scottish Sun story below…

Evicted gran’s shock at plan to make model of tenement

Exclusive
By ANDREW NICOLL
Scottish Political Editor
Published: Today at 01:16
 A GRAN who was evicted from her flat to make way for the Commonwealth Games has blasted plans to make tiny souvenir models of her home.

Art chiefs hope the keyring-sized replica’s of Margaret Jaconelli’s tenement in Glasgow’s east end will become “icons” of the city.

They plan to make a solid gold model of the building in Dalmarnock with the cash they rake in from the 2020 mementoes, which will then be donated to a homeless charity.

But last night shocked Margaret — who was offered just £30,000 compensation over the demolition of her flat — told of her horror at the plan.

Margaret, 54, said: “In all the time I was in the house, I never thought of it as a work of art. Maybe they should give me the gold tenement because I’m still homeless and still haven’t received a penny for my home.”

We told how the gran was dramatically evicted from her home following a bitter row with the council in March last year. But she said she hoped the models of her flat would raise awareness of the laws that led to her being forced out.

She said: “This way, the issue of compulsory purchase can be highlighted.

“Many of the shopkeepers in Dalmarnock have not received a penny in compensation.

“If they are going to make a souvenir of the Commonwealth Games, then at least this way visitors will know the price that people had to pay.”

Artists Neil McGuire and Marianne Anderson came up with the idea of creating the trinkets.

The said: “We’re exploring the way architectural landmark souvenirs like the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty can carry a narrative about mega-events such as the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

“It uses one instance of the eviction of a homeowner and the demolition of a property to ask questions about ownership, regeneration, community, value and capital.”

The tenement model is one of six designs which have been chosen, including medals made of Tunnock’s Teacakes, scarves reflecting Glasgow’s landscape, travel rugs, a musical phone app and a china jelly mould based on the interior of the city’s famous Rogano restaurant.

The scheme is being supported by the government-backed arts body Creative Scotland.

And the souvenirs will be displayed at the People’s Palace in September before going into mass production.

Creative Scotland’s Iain Munro said: “This will be a chance for us to support, showcase and celebrate Scotland’s creativity.

“It offers a great platform to showcase our creative and manufacturing talent to national and international audiences.”