10 May 2005

SWIG Conference 2005

MAY 13TH AND 14TH, 2005.

The Twelfth International Scottish Word and Image Group (SWIG) Conference, hosted by the University of Dundee's Department of English, will include two major public lectures examining the subject of the built environment of Dundee and the effect it has had on the city.

Delivered by University of Dundee historians, Professors Charles McKean and Chris Whatley, the lectures will take place in the Tower Extension Lecture Theatre at the University from 5pm to 6.30pm on Friday May 13th. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Professor Charles McKean will point to architecture as the reason for Dundee's loss of self-respect whereas Prof Whatley will highlight Dundee’s remarkable successes in the nineteenth century and how in some ways this was mirrored in the grand industrial and civic buildings of the period.

In his lecture, 'The Curiously Self-Deprecating Mindscape of Dundee', Prof McKean will consider how and why architecture is the reason Dundee lost its memory. He will point to the beginning of the twentieth century, when Dundee's self-respect began to slump, and while people were trying to establish the quality of the city the architecture wasn't there to support the development. This meant that what emerged was a widespread perception of the city as a nineteenth century mill town, which superseded its reputation as the second town of Renaissance Scotland.

Whereas most of medieval Dundee was modernised out of existence in the late nineteenth century, as in Glasgow and elsewhere, Dundee, uniquely in Scotland, had not refashioned itself during the earlier Renaissance period, and it was that gap, that Prof McKean will argue was the inherent cause of Dundee’s later problems with self-perception.

Professor Chris Whatley, in his lecture, 'Celebrating the Industrial City: Dundee and the Golden Age of Jute' will emphasise how remarkably successful Dundee was in the middle decades of the nineteenth century - a world leader in textiles. He will explain how, to some extent, this was mirrored in the grand industrial and civic buildings of the period.

Prof Whatley will describe how this material and mental buoyancy was short-lived though and by the end of the nineteenth century the city had lost its economic sparkle. This had dire social consequences, including widespread poverty and deprivation, and industrial conflict. The city's reputation tumbled and Dundonians lost their former self-confidence.

Prof Whatley will agree with Prof McKean, that the architectural heritage was less impressive than for Scotland's other big industrial cities and that this partly explains the critical views of Dundee that were held by outsiders and could explain the lack of confidence within. However he will also point to other, less obvious factors at work; primarily a sense of inferiority that goes back at least as far as the early 18th century. Dundee's nineteenth century confidence was more apparent than real, superficial rather than substantial and Dundee was a place that never quite became what it wanted to be.

Other themes throughout the two-day event, which is on "Built Environments", include, urban spaces and landscapes; cities in superhero narratives and post-modern fiction, as well as fairytale places and 'disneyfied' environments and regenerating social and built environments. Disciplines and approaches range through and combine animation, architecture, art, comics, computing, cultural theory, drama, film, history, linguistics, literary criticism and philosophy.

The event will attract delegates from the UK, Europe and the USA, and papers will be presented by scholars and artists from Aberdeen, Bochum, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Groningen, Henderson State, Central St. Martin’s College, Strathclyde and Utrecht.

For further information contact: Dr Keith Williams (Conference Co-ordinator) on 01382 344906 or Chris Murray (SWIG Secretary) on 01382 344907

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Scottish Word and Image Group (SWIG) was formed in 1994 and holds annual conferences which examine the coexistence, collaboration and conflict between verbal/written language and visual or symbolic systems of communication.

An exhibition to complement the conference is being staged in the Lamb Gallery in the Tower Building at University of Dundee from May 2nd to 27th, and comprises works from University collections selected by Museums Curator, Matthew Jarron.

By Roddy Isles, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, r.isles@dundee.ac.uk