‘Subling’ by Tom McKendrick

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This small ceramic sculpture is one of fifty ceramic submarines crafted by Tom McKendrick in 1990 to celebrate Glasgow's designation as City of Culture. The 'subling' stands independently, its compact scale accentuated by a copper-colored propeller at the stern. Exaggerated rivets and panel seams bear a verdigris patina, giving the impression that time has taken its toll. Nine oval openings stamped along the length of the 'subling' likely mimic hatches found on British T-class submarines. Tom McKendrick is a Scottish artist whose work was shaped by his experience in John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank. His evocative artworks often commemorate shipbuilding trades and crafts that are fading into memory or at risk of being lost forever. 'Subling' forms part of the Scottish Maritime Museum's Art Collection, its 3D model created as part of Scanning The Horizon digitisation project.