Dalziel and Scullion

Their stunning artistic creations aside, Dalziel and Scullion signal one of the most exciting partnerships in the University - they are the University's first spin-out company in the field of creative arts.

Professor Alan Robb's idea to maximise the creative energies of Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion by channelling all administration and budgeting through the University has allowed the pair to concentrate on what they excel at - conceptualising and constructing exceptional pieces of art work.

Louise and Matthew are involved in a number of high profile environmental art projects around the country including a Caledonian pine fed by solar energy for Birmingham's Millennium project. They recently finished a 10 metre drop curtain for Sadler's Wells theatre. Six metres wide, it depicts a circular image of a pathway leading to a glacier. The impressive curtain falls through 3 floors of the building and gives a powerful impression of bringing the outside in.

For it is themes of the environment that Dalziel and Scullion's work centres around. Matthew studied sculpture as an undergraduate at Duncan of Jordanstone then went on to add photography to his portfolio in Newport and Glasgow. It was while in Glasgow that he met Louise Scullion who, as an environmental art student had developed an interest in sculpture and the natural environment. The pair found a shared common interest and worked together on their first joint project. The Horn, now a familiar sight on the M8 motorway, is experienced by commuters on their way to and from the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. This elegant stainless steel structure broadcasts poignant sound pieces over the frenetic activity of the road.

Louise and Matthew are both confident that the new spin-out arrangement with the University will allow them to take their work to a higher level and increase their productivity. The plus side for the University is a rich resource in teaching and learning. Louise and Matthew, research fellows in fine art, have been taking students on field trips since 1995 and will continue their involvement, allowing the students to benefit from their intensive research.

And of course, there is no end to the advantages of hosting such an innovative and successful partnership who have already marked their territory as big names in the future of conceptual design.

Dalziel and Scullion will be exhibiting a substantial body of new work commissioned by the Fruitmarket gallery in its Edinburgh venue from December 1 until January 12. To coincide with the exhibition the Fruitmarket gallery, in collaboration with Duncan of Jordanstone will host a one day forum - Heaven on Earth - at the University of Dundee on December 7 in the Tower Building. The cross-disciplinary forum will place the work of Dalziel and Scullion in context, exploring the themes of humanity, landscape and the environment.

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