Harmonious Complexity

An exhibition celebrating 100 years of On Growth and Form

Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee

13 October – 15 December 2017

Mon-Fri 09.30-19.00 Sat 13.00-17.00

‌This special anniversary exhibition reveals the fascinating history of D'Arcy Thompson's landmark book On Growth and Form (1917) and features unique and rarely seen letters and specimens from D’Arcy’s collections at the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews. Find out about the extraordinary impact that the book has had in biology, mathematics, systems theory, geography, art, design and architecture. 

You will also see amazing new images taken by Dr Alan Prescott (School of Life Sciences) of some of D’Arcy’s original microscope slides and a stunning 3d animation of D’Arcy’s archaeopteryx fossil cast created by animator Brendan Body (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design) thanks to grant funding from Museums Galleries Scotland. You can also find discover fascinating new research being carried out here at the University in biomathematics and developmental biology, building on D’Arcy’s pioneering work.

Find out about the many other anniversary activities happening in Dundee here

Image left: Photomicrograph of the spine of a sea urchin, taken from one of D'Arcy's own microscope slides