2 works created for a group exhibition, “The Associates” at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA), Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (University of Dundee): “Prime 1”, “Prime 2”

In the context of the 10 year anniversary of the opening of DCA, I combined archival images of the first exhibition, “Prime”, with newly shot images of the empty gallery space in order to create two large digital collages which were sited within the exhibition at the entrance and exit as ‘interpretation’ panels. As such, the works were intended to exist as stand-alone objects but also to call to mind the history of the building and memorial imprint of the first exhibition. A committed audience for contemporary art has grown up alongside the institution and visits it regularly: my works were designed to bring to the surface personal memories of “Prime” and reflections on what the institution means for the city.

Of particular interest in the construction of the works was reflecting the change in the materiality and visual speed of archival images between 1999 and 2009, from 35mm slide to hi-res digital. Slides from “Prime” were scanned for use and the resulting digitizations were not subject to any process of cleaning, rather ‘noise’ – in the form of dust, hairs, scratches etc. – was left and integrated into the final collages. Cues for meshing together new digital images and archival images were taken from the architecture of the gallery spaces, with the resulting kaleidoscopic collages varying focus, lighting, perspective and visual speed. The collages were produced and printed on site using the specialist facilities at the Visual Research Centre.

The premise of ‘The Associates’ exhibition was to bring together a group of graduates who had studied together in Dundee at the time DCA opened. An additional photographic collage referencing a studio space within Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art was produced for The Associates catalogue.