25 August 2004
Body Memory and Creation exhibitions
Photo opportunity for 'Body Memory' and 'Creation': 10.30am, Thursday 26 August, Cooper Gallery,
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee.
The final leg of a three part international art exhibition, 'Body Memory': Warsaw, Potsdam, Dundee will
open at the University of Dundee this Friday (27 August). The five University of Dundee graduates and
two lecturers involved have already taken part in exhibitions in Poland and Germany and will be joined by
their international counterparts in Dundee for the final event.
Along with the Polish and German visitors, Caroline Alexander, Stephanie Shiels, Thomas Malley, Elaine
Symington and Myra Gallicker who all graduated from the University of Dundee earlier this year, will
unveil their works on Friday 27 August at a special preview event. Elaine Shemilt, Reader in Fine Art at
University of Dundee, will also be displaying work. Professor Kerstin Mey, Chair of Fine Art, University
of Ulster (formerly Senior lecturer in History and Theory of Art, University of Dundee) is co-ordinating
this project that aims to promote creative responses to the contemporary conception of the body.
The Polish and German exhibitions were a resounding success attracting wide attention and the team are
looking forward to a great reaction in Dundee.
Elaine Shemilt stated: "This is an opportunity for artists to foster international links and engage in a
cross-cultural dialogue. It is a fantastic opportunity for the public to become involved in the
experience by sampling the exhibited works."
All of the artists' work draws in some way from the 'body'. Stephanie Shiels has created a floor
sculpture of moulded lead that imitates the skins surface with lumps that represent the texture of human
skin. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to walk across the sculpture itself in a slightly surreal
experience.
Caroline Alexander's spontaneous drawings challenge perceived notions of beauty and the psychological
reaction bodies create. She examines the illusory state of mind that suggests physical attraction equals
happiness and the lengths to which people will go to stay young and beautiful including cosmetic surgery.
Thomas Malley who graduated with a first will present a series of video work that encourages people to
look at their darker side instead of just hiding it away and provokes thoughts of the animalistic nature
of humans and the demons within people they do not wish to face.
Myra Gallicker will display her deconstructed/reconstructed suit that was partly inspired by early
childhood memories of her clothes being made from her father's RAF shirts. In unpicking a man's suit and
then creating a new piece, Myra has created an extremely feminine piece of work showing changes over time
and gives a notion of history.
Elaine Symington is interested in the fragility of the body's inner structures yet at the same time its
ability to perform powerful, strong and important functions. Through a variety of materials, Elaine
examines the opposing factors of the body including health and disease, comfort and visions of ugliness
and beauty.
A special preview takes place on Friday 27 August from 5.30pm. The exhibition opens to the public on
Monday 30 August until 24 October and is free and open to the public.
Creation
Friday will also see the opening of Lorraine Anderson's exhibition "Creation" showing plant samples which
were coated with gold palladium and viewed under an Electron Microscope. The pollen particles found within
each plant were magnified to reveal structures and textures. These photographic images are part of
Lorraine’s Master of Design research project.
Lorraine's project reveals how an allergy to pollen could affect an asthma sufferer. Her project is a
personal investigation. She is an asthma sufferer herself and has an allergy to pollen.
The final stage of this Master of Design project will be shown in December at Masters Expo 2004 at Duncan
of Jordanstone. Lorraine will design a privacy curtain using the colour and pattern choices of 100
patients at Ward 3, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. The images on the curtain are based on plant and pollen
images from Lorraine’s research. The survey into how colour and pattern can affect well-being whilst in
hospital took place between Feb and April 2004 as part of Lorraine’s Master of Design degree.
Opening Fri 27 Aug 5.30-7.30pm
BRADSHAW ART SPACE, DJCAD, 13 Perth Rd, Dundee DD1 4HT
Exhibition open Mon - Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat 10am- 4.30pm. Admission Free.
The exhibition runs until 15 Oct.
For further information please contact the University of Dundee Exhibitions department on 01382 345330.
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk | 
