University of Dundee

Batman, Rupert the Bear and Minnie the Minx are just some of the much-loved characters to appear in a new University of Dundee exhibition exploring the production process underpinning the creation of comics.

Comics Stripped!  opened this week and will be on display at the University’s Tower Foyer Gallery throughout the summer.  A celebration of the world of comics, it explores how comics are made and how that process has changed over time.

The exhibition is one of several comics-themed activities taking place in Dundee as part of the Summer (Bash) Streets Festival. 

Matthew Jarron, Curator of Museum Services at the University, said, “Dundee is, of course, famous for producing comics and our students at the University have the opportunity of studying comics at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

“We were keen to explore the process of making comics, much of which has changed completely in recent years thanks to digital technology.  As well as some amazing artwork, the exhibition also features fascinating examples of scripts, printing plates, corrections, colour proofs and more.”

This exhibition has been guest-curated by Zu Dominiak, a comics creator and former PhD student at the University, who now teaches comics at De Montfort University in Leicester.  While in Dundee, Zu was an intern with the University’s Museum Services and the exhibition also features larger-than-life characters from Inside the Museum, an upcoming comic created by Zu based on the internship.

Zu added, “One of the most incredible things about being an intern at Museum Services was interacting with original comics artwork.  There are so many ways in which comics have been produced over the years, and I am very excited to share this insight with the public.”

All the artwork on show comes from the University of Dundee’s Museum Collections.  The University holds Scotland’s only public collection of original comics art, featuring both Scottish and international creators.

Comics Stripped! runs until 30 September and is open from 9.30am-6pm on weekdays. Admission is free.

More information about studying Comics at Dundee can be found here. 

The University of Dundee’s Cooper Gallery has become the first Scottish University gallery to join Plus Tate.  They are joined in the network of leading visual arts organisations by Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) resulting in Dundee becoming the only Scottish city to host two Plus Tate recognised galleries. 

 The Plus Tate initiative was started in 2009 by Tate to support the growing interest in contemporary art across the UK. 

 The Cooper Gallery at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) and DCA are two of 13 visual art organisations to become part of the Plus Tate network across the UK. 

 DCA is an internationally renowned centre for contemporary arts that enables audiences, artists and participant to see, experience and create. 

 With two large scale gallery spaces, two cinema screens, a busy print studio, an award-winning learning programme, as well as a packed programme of events, workshops, classes, and activities aimed at all ages and abilities, DCA enriches people’s lives through art, culture and creativity. 

 The exhibitions programme at DCA brings world leading contemporary artists to Dundee with recent exhibitions including Patrick Staff, Alberta Whittle, Eve Fowler, Mark Wallinger, Lorna Macintyre and Margaret Salmon.

 Designed in 1953 by architect James Wallace as an integral part of DJCAD, Cooper Gallery provides a unique space for exhibitions and events and provides a supportive environment for emerging and significant artists to conceive and produce risk-taking and ambitious projects within a leading School of Art and Design. 

 Cooper Gallery presents a public exhibition programme of contemporary artists from the UK and internationally including Jasmina Cibic, Phil Collins, the Bow Gamelan Ensemble, Bruce McLean, Jade Monserrat, Laura Mulvey & Peter Wollen, Paul Noble, Georgina Starr, and Ulay. 

 Both galleries work to embed diversity and inclusion across all aspects of their organisation is one of the many reasons they have been selected to join the distinguished visual contemporary art network.

 Cooper Gallery and DCA’s artistic visions and their focus on engaging broad audiences are key attributes recognised by Plus Tate.

 Professor Anita Taylor, Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, said, “I am delighted that the quality and profile of Cooper Gallery has been recognised by Plus Tate.

 “Cooper Gallery provides a unique resource at the heart of the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, the University, and the creative and cultural offering of Dundee.

“Led by Principal Curator, Sophia Hao, Cooper Gallery has an ambitious and distinctive programme that forefronts innovative practices and critical discourse in contemporary art, design and visual culture.”

 Beth Bate, Director of DCA said “We are delighted to be joining Plus Tate, allowing us to connect with and learn from other leading art organisations across the UK that are part of this respected network.  

 “We’re thrilled that DCA’s commitment to artists and audiences has been recognised, along with our work in diversity and inclusion, and our innovative and inspiring programme.”

 Cooper Gallery Principal Curator, Sophia Hao, said, “We are thrilled to be joining this network of leading art organisations across the UK.

 “For Cooper Gallery it demonstrates support for our passionate belief in the potential of contemporary arts to inspire alternative ways of thinking and doing, of embedding diversity and inclusion, and building collaboratively an ambitious and radical future for contemporary art.

 “We are delighted to become a Plus Tate member in the fantastic company of our friend DCA, with two Plus Tate members, Dundee garners another prestigious element in its thriving cultural economies”. 

Locals are invited to explore Dundee’s innovation and discovery in medicine and biology in a new series of self-guided walking tours produced by the University of Dundee.  

Dundee is celebrated internationally for its pioneering work in medical sciences, in particular the University of Dundee’s ground-breaking research into cancer, diabetes, drug development and surgical techniques, but the city has a great deal of extraordinary stories in medicine and biology still unknown to many.

To introduce locals to some of the incredible stories of past and present, the University’s Museum Services have teamed up with the School of Life Sciences to create the Dundee Discoveries map.

The map, produced for this year’s Dundee Science Festival, features a series of self-guided walking tours through pioneering scientific research in medicine, biology, forensics, nursing and dentistry. It is split into three routes - the City Centre, West End and University of Dundee, and Ninewells Hospital.  

“We are delighted to launch our Dundee Discoveries map,” said Matthew Jarron, Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee.

“Our aim is to highlight locations around the city that have interesting medical or scientific connections.

“The tours give glimpses into the past by looking at historic landmarks, buildings, institutions and figures vital to the city’s progression in medicine and biology. For example, where the Malmaison Hotel now stands was once the site of Dundee’s cholera hospital, and close to Dundee Rep Theatre was the location of the GP surgery of Emily Moorhead and Alice Thomson, possibly the first all-female medical practice in Scotland.

“We have worked with many different staff across the University to showcase ground-breaking current research alongside the history, giving glimpses into the future by highlighting the places and people of today that are involved in a variety of crucial medical and scientific research.

“The map also includes a scavenger hunt for younger explorers to find various features along the trails, so the whole family can enjoy the walks together.”

The Dundee Science Festival, led by Dundee Science Centre, will run until Sunday 29^th November.  

A digital copy of the map can be found on the Dundee Discoveries web page, alongside additional information, images and videos on topics.  Copies of the map can also be picked up from Dundee Science Centre, which is open at weekends during the festival.  

Participants are reminded to follow current Covid-19 guidelines when undertaking the walks.

The project was supported by the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund awarded to the University of Dundee.