16 June 2010
Pupils get chance to uphold jute design tradition
The artistic endeavours of school pupils from the Dundee area, who were challenged to use their creative skills to revive one of the city’s historic design traditions, have gone on display in one of Dundee’s most prominent shopping locations.
The Jute Bag Project, organised by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, saw around 500 jute bags - donated by the Natural Bag Company - distributed to schools to allow the pupils to either design their own unique jute bale 'marks' or otherwise turn the bags into works of art.
Schools were asked to select the best three designs from their pupils, and these entries will be on display at Dundee’s Overgate Shopping Centre until Sunday. Visiting members of the public will be able to vote for the 'People’s Favourite', for which there will be a cash prize of £200.
This is the second year that the challenge has been set by DJCAD, part of the University of Dundee. The first competition was open to primary school pupils from around the Dundee area, but this year’s challenge has shifted to secondary school students.
'Jute played a huge role in the development of Dundee, and this competition is a way of helping pupils to reconnect with their heritage whilst also challenging their creative abilities,' explained Mhari MacDonald, Marketing & Recruitment Officer at DJCAD.
'The aim of this project is for pupils to use their creative skills to create a work of art using jute. Pupils were free to explore and adapt the brief to suit their own idea, and we were delighted that the entries we received were so individual and creative. Choosing a winner will certainly not be an easy task.'
The brief that the pupils responded to was: 'Dundee was once famous for its jute industry. Although our jute factories have stopped producing we are still very much surrounded by the tradition as is apparent in the names of our streets, parks and many of our public buildings and businesses.
'To bring a modern twist to the legacy that has been left behind, we want to know what you can do with a jute bag. Your challenge is to get your students to turn a jute bag into a work of art. Whether they want to create a modern bale mark, turn a bag into a sculpture or create a stunning item of clothing it's up to them. All we want to see is creativity!
'We will supply you with the bags and you simply need to get creative.'
In addition to the ‘People’s Favourite’, prizes will be awarded to winners who will be selected by the judging panel of Simon Pritchard (The Natural Bag Company), Tracey Stewart (Quality Improvement Officer from Educational Development Services at Dundee City Council), and Tracey Drummond from DJCAD.
The exhibition runs at the Overgate until Sunday, June 20th. Prizes will also be awarded in the following categories:
- Award for Creativity - £100 art voucher
- Award for Group Effort - £50 art voucher
- Award for Best Use of Colour - £25 art voucher
- Award for Best Reference to Dundee's Jute Heritage - £25 art voucher
- Award for Best Commercial Entry (x2) - £25 art voucher
The winners will be announced at a reception at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in the near future.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
