‘Reanimating H.G. Wells’ – new exhibition at Tower Foyer Gallery
Published On Fri 4 Nov 2016 by Grant Hill
An exhibition of art, design and typography created in response to the work of pioneering sci-fi writer H.G. Wells will open at the University of Dundee tonight.
‘Reanimating H.G. Wells’, which will be held in the University’s Tower Foyer Gallery, is the inaugural event in a month-long programme marking the 150th anniversary of Wells’ birth. That programme, ‘H.G. Wells at 150: Hope and Fear’, takes place as part of Being Human 2016, a national festival of the humanities.
The exhibition features work by students at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in a wide variety of forms including newspapers, posters, book covers, models and films. To provide additional context, it also includes contemporary illustrations of Wells’ work and original scientific equipment from the University’s Museum Collections relating to his stories.
Wells, who found fame as the author of The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds and other stories, has come to be regarded as the father of science fiction. The scientific breakthroughs of the late 19th century opened up exciting new possibilities in his imagination and the combination of his futuristic visions and classic storytelling broadened the appeal of the new genre.
Dr Daniel Cook, Lecturer in English at the University and organiser of H.G. Wells at 150, said, “Marking 150 years since the birth of the visionary writer, this exhibition features striking and thought-provoking work created by Duncan of Jordanstone students in response to Wells’ scientific romances.
“Our series of events celebrate the great writer’s 150th birthday the best way we know how – through creative engagement with his ideas. The programme includes events for all ages and features everything from comics competitions to alien autopsies, walking tours that reanimate Dundee’s dead and examinations of how Wells foresaw the future.”
Being Human will see events take place at more than 70 universities and other organisations across the UK from 17th to 25th November, with Dundee serving as Scotland’s festival hub. The festival highlights the ways in which the humanities can inspire and enrich lives, helping us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and the challenges we face in a changing world.
Dundee last year became the first university in the UK to offer a taught postgraduate degree in Science Fiction and also leads the way in Comics Studies.
The ‘Reanimating H.G. Wells’ exhibition runs until the end of the year.
To find out more about ‘H.G. Wells at 150: Hope and Fear’, including how to obtain tickets, please visit https://www.facebook.com/wells150 or www.dundee.ac.uk/events.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk