27 June 2007

Linnaeus Exhibition at Kellie Castle

`Creating Order’ - a celebration of the tercentenary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, the pioneering scientist and father of our modern system for naming and organising the natural world.

The Book & Paper Conservation Studio at the University of Dundee is presenting an exhibition of works on paper by printmaker Lisa Gribbon and a showcase of the Linnaean Correspondence Project, work recently completed in the studio. The exhibition will be held at Kellie Castle, the fourteenth century castle located in the East Neuk of Fife, from 2 July to 29 July.

The artwork is inspired by the eighteenth century botanist and father of taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus (1707 - 1778), who simplified and revolutionised the way plants and animals were named. Thousands of living things were classified by Linnaeus using a binominal system in Latin and, despite recent advances in genetic identification, his naming system is still used and understood by scientists all over the world.

Linnaeus wrote prolifically and was also an inspirational teacher, sending ‘apostles’ around the world. The Linnaean Correspondence, which is housed in The Linnean Society of London, is comprised of the letters sent to Linnaeus from these ‘apostles’ and from many other famous 18th century scientists.

As part of the international tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, the Society undertook to have the letters digitised and made accessible on the internet. Prior to digitisation the collection had to be made safe to handle and store, and the Book & Paper Conservation Studio at the University of Dundee was commissioned to carry out the conservation work. The three-year project has involved the cleaning, repair and re-housing of around 4000 letters from over 600 correspondents, with many of the letters containing dried biological specimens.

During a series of visits to the studio, Lisa Gribbon, a Fife-based printmaker and horticulturist, has made sketches from the original documents. The structure of the letters, their composition, the evidence of chemical and physical degradation and the beautifully preserved plant specimens, along with the methods and materials used in conservation, have all served as inspiration for a series of prints by Lisa.

This exhibition will showcase the prints and describe in detail the conservation work carried out to preserve this unique and important archive for posterity.

An opening of the exhibition will be held on Sunday 1st July from 4 - 6.30pm

NOTE TO EDITORS

Members of the Press are welcome to attend the open evening on Sunday July 1st.

Where to Find Kellie
Kellie is in the East Neuk of Fife, inland from the coastal villages of Pittenweem and St Monan's. For a detailed location map, see:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/

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