Online exhibition reconnects Scottish city with its past

Students at the University of Dundee are turning snippets of local life into art as part of a new online exhibition.

Illustration students at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design have interpreted oral histories from some of Dundee’s most colourful characters into new pieces of art, including jewellery, photography, and even a set of bagpipes.

Third-year students were provided with recordings from the University’s Archive Services, with the task of producing new work based on the experiences of storytellers, including actress Louise Ann Ross, street poet Gary Robertson, and photographer Alex Coupar.

The finished pieces from this year’s Archive Project are now available to view online.

Natalie Russell, Illustration lecturer, said, “The Archive Project really challenges our students to push their creative boundaries to create something both original and yet relevant to the resources we provide them.

“Seeing what they produce is always exciting, and this year’s selection of work is once again exceptional and a testament to the skills of our students. This year has obviously been different for the students, but their dedication and talent is evident through the pieces they have created for this task.

“The Archive Project always has a focus on Dundee, and that has been particularly nice this year, as it has helped to maintain that connection between those students who have sadly been away from the city for so long.

“While we sadly cannot welcome the people of Dundee to campus to view the results of this year’s Archive Project, we do hope that people enjoy the online exhibition experience.”

The Archive Project has been running since January 2017 and has inspired a range of exciting exhibition works reflecting the contents of boxes of material stored within the University of Dundee Archives.

While students are usually presented with a mystery box of items with which to inspire them, this year the Archive Services selected recordings from ’the Oral History Project' - a new and exciting alternative that offered more flexibility. These testimonies offered insights into the lives of people who have lived and worked in Dundee and its surrounding areas.

This year’s Archive Project is available to view online now.