David Mach at Dundee

One of our leading contemporary artists, David Mach graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College in 1978, completing a postgraduate course the following year.

This degree show sculpture by Mach explored the theme of 'interface'. The same motifs can be seen in some of the original drawings from the College Collection displayed below - click on one to see a larger image.

It was while studying at Dundee that Mach created his first experiments with large-scale sculpture. The images below record work done in a sawmill in Fife. Click on an image to see it larger...

Mach's time at Dundee is best remembered for the extraordinary Carpet of Leaves he created in Camperdown Park. Many thousands of beech leaves were individually woven into a 15 metre length of chicken wire, demonstrating the attention to tiny details within a huge format that remains a distinctive feature of Mach's work today.

"I think it was probably the best art school in the world when I was there! The teachers were of such a quality. People were so intense, the course was so great and the time you had to do it in..."

- David Mach on his time at Duncan of Jordanstone College, from GC Magazine, 2000

An exhibition featuring highlights from Mach's student work can be seen in the Matthew Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design from 27 September - 22 October 2011, available to view during normal College opening hours.