Thirty-two Texts with Distress presents two interlinked new video works by Irineu Destourelles: ‘Thirty-two Texts Concerning Different Spaces’ and ‘Distressed Animal’. Shown at the Gorbals Library, the works revisit personal memory — of being in public spaces in Glasgow and elsewhere — alongside reflections on how public spaces are represented in media.

The project was commissioned by Many Studios and curated by Natalia Palombo as part of the redevelopment of the former Cumberland Street Station. The redevelopment proposes to transform this heritage building in the Gorbals into a new cultural hub. Thirty-two Texts with Distress is part of an ongoing conversation about the future use of the building as a public space.

Writing is a central element of Destourelles’ artistic practice. ‘Thirty-two Texts Concerning Different Spaces’ is an autobiographical series of written reflections on public spaces such as libraries, supermarkets, and cemeteries. ‘Distressed Animal’ emerged from a chance encounter with a young seagull in distress on a Glasgow housing estate.

In developing these works, the artist engaged with existing research on the local area, including studies of the genealogical and industrial heritage of Cumberland Street Station and its surroundings, alongside a comprehensive feasibility study and community consultation process. The project was also informed by archival material from the National Library of Scotland, particularly film archives documenting urban regeneration projects led by Glasgow City Council during the 1960s and 1970s in predominantly working-class areas such as the Gorbals.

‘Thirty-two Texts Concerning Different Spaces’ is shown on a loop on a standard library computer, similar to those used by library visitors, inviting audiences to sit and experience the work individually. The video includes a low, haunting soundtrack composed of manipulated audio of seagull made sounds, which subtly signals the presence of a second work, ‘Distressed Animal’, embedded within a reading area of the library. This single-channel video is displayed on a 6-inch portable CRT television from the 1980s and depicts a distorted image of a young seagull.

Together, these works invite audiences to reflect on what makes public spaces feel welcoming, fragile, or imperfect.