21 August 2006

BioWoman takes another step

The City of Discovery has taken another important step in its ambitious plans to realise BioWoman, the 90ft sculpture created by internationally acclaimed artist David Mach.

The University of Dundee is now working closely with Sensation, the science centre, who have just secured funds from the Scottish Executive for a feasibility study that will, over the next four months, determine the scope for realising the sculpture close to the award-winning science centre.

BioWoman will be the focal point for an ambitious wider development that will also see Sensation create Scotland’s first science learning centre, a new facility providing teacher training and a knowledge transfer gallery to promote the very latest in life sciences research, for which Dundee has won a world reputation.

Chief Executive of Sensation, Paul Jennings, said of the news: "This is a wonderful opportunity for the City. Having exhibited the 9ft model of BioWoman for two months we received a very positive response across all visitors. Realising BioWoman would be a huge confidence statement for the City and comes at a time when the City has a great deal to be confident about. Benefits are likely to include a boost in regional tourism and a focal point for the international promotion of the pioneering work being carried out by those in the City working in the Bio-sciences. Other elements would showcase local research with a constantly changing gallery space, enabling us to inspire a whole new audience, while the science learning centre would see us actively contributing to teacher training and development - an area currently in the political and media spotlight. The feasibility study will determine what we can do, how much it will cost and what the new elements will look like. This is single step in a longer process but an important one nevertheless."

Speaking for the University of Dundee, Carol Pope, leader of the Arts/Science project which spawned Biowoman said: "This is the news we have been quietly waiting for. We are delighted to work with Sensation in this way and to have Biowoman adopted as part of this bold, timely and innovative scheme to improve the understanding and communication of science. There is a long journey ahead but Dundee could yet be the base of the tallest - and some might say the boldest - sculpture in the UK."

For media enquiries contact:

Roddy Isles
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk

or

Paul Jennings
Chief Executive
Dundee Science Centre
paul.jennings@sensation.org.uk
01382 868606