14 September 2012

The fascinating HUMAN RACE exhibition arrives in Dundee

Exhibition - Sept 21st to Nov 10th,
Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, Nethergate and at the Institute of Sport and Exercise (ISE), Old Hawkhill, both University of Dundee

'The Human Race', an extraordinary exhibition which explores the history, development and ethics of Sport and Exercise Medicine opens next week at the University of Dundee.

An official part of the Cultural Olympiad, this major exhibition explores the body as it prepares for, and competes in, sport. It highlights for the first time some of the pioneering developments in medical imaging, surgery and sports training that have taken place over the last 200 years, and their subsequent impact on the development of Sport and Exercise Medicine as we know it today.

The exhibition has been on tour in Scotland since March and has been seen by more than 200,000 people. The exhibition is showing across two venues at the University of Dundee - the Lamb Gallery in the Tower Building, and the Institute of Sport and Exercise on Old Hawkhill from 21 September to 10 November 2012.

The exhibition has been created by Scotland and Medicine, a partnership involving the leading Scottish medical collections, including those at The University of Dundee and NHS Tayside. Museums, individuals and institutions from across Scotland have contributed objects to the exhibition, many of which are being seen by the public for the first time.

Every object has its story to tell in the fascinating journey from the early developments of technology in medicine to the equipment at the forefront of modern sports treatment. Objects include Bronze Age wrist protectors and rarely seen film footage to early anatomical specimens and the latest body imaging techniques.

The exhibition features several Dundee pioneers including radiologist George Pirie and orthopaedic surgeon Ian Smillie as well as some of the unlikely characters that helped shape the development of sports medicine over the past two centuries.

Another notable feature of this unique exhibition is the inclusion of contemporary art. Four Scottish artists were commissioned to introduce creative voices and a contemporary perspective to the rich material and themes of the exhibition. Each artist found their own points of interest and stories which they expressed through their individual projects.

The official opening of the exhibition is on Friday 21st September, at 5:30pm, in the Lamb Gallery with special guest Ronnie McIntosh, a local athlete and Olympic torchbearer, whose inspirational story on learning to run again after losing both his legs due to kidney failure is featured in the exhibition.

Following refreshments there will be an opportunity to be taken over to ISE to view the second part of the exhibition and to experience some specially commissioned robot dancing. All are welcome, with no need to book.

An exciting and varied programme of associated events including talks, exhibition tours, a schools programme, workshops and live performances will run alongside the exhibition.

The programme starts with Scottish Ballet on `The Physicality of Dance' on Monday 24th September at 5:30pm. This is followed by James Robson, National Team Doctor for the Scottish Rugby Union, giving an insight into his experiences on Wednesday 26th September at 6pm.

Both events take place in the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre in the Tower Building. Attendance is free and there is no need to book. A full programme of events can be found at: www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/exhibitions/medical/humanrace/.

Human Race is an official part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. It is funded by Legacy Trust UK and Creative Scotland National Lottery Fund and is part of The Scottish Project. The Scottish Project is Legacy Trust UK's programme in Scotland which will create a cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the country.

For more information about the exhibition and events go to the Human Race website at humanrace.org.uk or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Matthew Jarron, Curator of Museum Services, University of Dundee said: "I am confident that the Human Race will prove a fascinating attraction for visitors particularly with an increased interest in sport following the Olympics and Paralympics. The feedback from other venues has been very good and we have some really interesting local highlights here. The timing is also very good for us as it follows on so quickly after the Olympics and Paralympics. There are lots of connections, particularly with the role of science in facilitating the extraordinary achievements of our Paralympic athletes."

Dr Audrey Duncan, Sports Science Manager, ISE, University of Dundee said: "Human Race is an official part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The exhibition, and its associated programme of events, which spans science, medicine, art and history really does have something to offer everyone with an interest in sport and exercise and allows us to be an exciting part of the cultural and sporting legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games".

Kitty Chilcott, Scotland & Medicine Partnership, said "Throughout the project we have had the privilege of working with leading researchers and practitioners and had access to Scotland's historical collections. This has given us a fascinating insight and understanding of Scotland's impact on the history and development of sports medicine. It's been a journey of discovery, from the first x-ray film to the innovations and developments of Scottish medical pioneers. The Human Race exhibition will give the visitor an opportunity of discovering for themselves the impact that sport and exercise medicine has had on the culture of sport today and see just how far we have come since the days of the magic sponge."

Human Race poet Kona Macphee, said: "Given [my] childhood fascination with matters biomedical, it was a particular pleasure to be commissioned by Scotland & Medicine to produce a series of poems for the Human Race. I've always believed that the most interesting ideas and inventions tend to emerge at the intersection of different disciplines. An example is the exciting field of biomimetics, where design and engineering take their inspiration from "technologies" that have evolved in nature."

For further information or high resolution images please phone Kitty Chilcott, RCSEd on 0131 527 1607 or email humanrace@rcsed.ac.uk.

Notes for Editors

1. Human Race has been funded by Legacy Trust UK and Creative Scotland National Lottery Fund. LTUK are creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.The Trust is funded by a £40 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund (£29m), Department for Culture Media and Sport (£6m) and Arts Council England (£5m), and is a Principal Funder of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival. www.legacytrustuk.org
2. The Human Race project is an official part of the Cultural Olympiad, which is the programme of cultural events for the 2012 Games.
3. Scotland & Medicine Partnership was established in 2004 to improve access to, and promote the knowledge of, health and medical related collections held in Scotland and to increase public awareness of Scotland's global impact on the history and development of medicine. The partnership consists of 23 organisations and The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is the lead partner.
4. Human Race on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HumanRaceUK
5. Human Race on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Human-Race-inside-the-science-of-sports-medicine

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