23 May 2011
Thousands flock to Degree Show during opening weekend
More than 6,500 people have descended on the 2011 Dundee Degree Show since the city’s largest annual art and design exhibition threw its doors open at the weekend.
The near-300 exhibiting graduands from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design were joined by family, friends, art lovers, and industry representatives for two preview evenings prior to the show opening to the public on Saturday.
The two buildings and fourteen floors that comprise DJCAD, part of the University of Dundee, have thronged with visitors keen to view final year projects from students on all 11 undergraduate programmes since an Associates Night & Reception was held on Thursday to mark the start of the 2011 Degree Show celebrations.
Turner Prize-holder Susan Philipsz, a DJCAD graduate, and Pixar founder Alvy Ray Smith were guests of honour at the Associates Night. The following night saw more than 5,500 pack the labyrinth-like Perth Road venue for the traditional Preview Evening for students’ family and friends.
Before and after the event, they provided a huge boost to bars, clubs, restaurants and shops across the city as the celebrations spread beyond the campus. Each year, the show generates an estimated £1.5million for the local economy and the preview evening, noted for the very special atmosphere it creates around Dundee, is firmly established as one of the most exciting nights in the city’s calendar.
The attendance of 5744 was up almost 1000 on last year’s Preview Evening crowd. With around another 1000 attendees taking in the exhibition over the weekend, and the number of visitors remaining high throughout Monday, it is hoped the total attendance will top 10,000 by the time the exhibition reaches the end of its run.
Opening the Show last week, Professor Tom Inns, Dean of DJCAD, hailed a ‘vintage year’ for the exhibition, and said he hoped a large number of visitors would continue to take it in.
'I’m delighted but not surprised that so many people have visited the Degree Show so far,' he said. 'The quality of our students is well known and it is fantastic for them, DJCAD, the University and the whole city that so many people descend upon us, both from the local area and from further afield as well, to see the fabulous work on display.
'Our external examiners visited last week and were hugely impressed by the standard of exhibiting students this year. They described this exhibition as a vintage year for Duncan of Jordanstone and I wholeheartedly agree. We’ve produced some of the UK’s top art and design graduates, and I would urge as many people as possible to come and see the immense talent we are producing for themselves.
'I am immensely proud of our students who have created wonderful and innovative work.'
The exhibition will be open to the public until Sunday, May 29th. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from 10am until 8pm (Monday - Friday) and 10am to 4pm (Saturday - Sunday).
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design has been rated as the top art school in Scotland and in the top four in the UK according to the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
DJCAD is at the forefront of the 'V&A at Dundee' project that will create a statement building on Dundee's newly developing waterfront. This will house contemporary collections from the world-famous Victoria & Albert Museum alongside other major exhibitions, as well as showcasing design practice and research.
Notes to editors:
Dundee Degree Show
21st - 29th May 2011 (Preview May 20th)
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design
University of Dundee
13 Perth Road
Dundee DD1 4HT
T 01382 385330
E exhibitions@dundee.ac.uk
www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow
Exhibition open:
Saturday, May 21st (10am-4pm)
Sunday, May 22nd (10am-4pm)
Monday, May 23rd (10am-8pm)
Tuesday, May 24th (10am-8pm)
Wednesday, May 25th (10am-8pm)
Thursday, May 26th (10am-8pm)
Friday, May 27th (10am-8pm)
Saturday, May 28th (10am-4pm)
Sunday, May 29th (10am-4pm)
Graduate work on display:
Animation
Art, Philosophy, Contemporary Practices
Digital Interaction Design
Fine Art
Graphic Design
Illustration
Interior Environmental Design
Jewellery & Metal Design
Product Design
Textile Design
Time Based Art & Digital Film
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 |
