'Shotgun wedding' examines the Union of 1707

A video installation by Dundee artists, which examines the Union of 1707 and many of the issues surrounding it, is being shown at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

'Shotgun Wedding', by Tracy Mackenna and Edwin Janssen in the School of Fine Art, has been developed to mark the tercentenary of the 1707 Treaty of Union.

The inspiration for the installation was sparked by the research for the book `The Scots and the Union', by Professor Christopher Whatley, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Arts & Social Sciences.

Social, political and religious conflicts that run through the history of Scotland and Britain are explored in the series of six video projections that make up `Shotgun Wedding'.

A selection of paintings, drawings, and engravings from the National Galleries of Scotland's collection, including depictions of the key figures and events, has been filmed to produce this video installation, which shows the relevance of the Union in both its historical and contemporary context. Further material was sourced in collections and archives in Britain and the Netherlands.

`Shotgun Wedding' is supported by the National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council and School of Fine Art Research, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.

It will be at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 6th May 2007. A publication on the work is due out in May.