The fragility of childhood.

My degree show is just around the corner. The year has gone so quickly and I have enjoyed every moment of it. I have learned so much…not only about design but also about myself.

 Graduating with a BA in Design & Creativity was something I never imagined …… but the biggest lesson I have learned is……It's never too late.

- 40….

Here is a photo of my final piece for the second project of my BA in Design & Creativity…..It's currently exhibited in the entrance of Gardyne College, Dundee.

Mystery chamber a real eye opener

Staff, students and visitors to D&A College have been fascinated by the appearance of a sealed white box in the atrium area of the Gardyne Campus.

Standing 8ft high by 8ft by 4ft wide, the mysterious chamber is featureless but for three enigmatic statements: “my shroud; my shelter; my tomb”.

Those bold enough to peek through the strategically-placed spy holes are presented with the projected image of a shroud bearing the same motif, in a barren, sunless landscape.

This curious art installation is the work of Elise King, who is studying for her BA design and creativity at D&A College.

The 11 students on the course have been hanging their work for an assessment for a collaborative project and Elise’s piece is the only one which is on public view.

The project involved the students visiting secondary schools in Angus and asking pupils what they thought the future held for design.

“The pupils’ responses were very interesting,” explained Elise.

“We were impressed with how environmentally aware they were, with many of them linking design to climate change.

“This made me think about the Greenpeace activists who were recently imprisoned in Russia for highlighting the dangers of drilling beneath the polar ice caps and the number of ‘melt holes’ which were occurring on the Arctic ice.

“To add a Dundee dimension to this, I incorporated elements of Captain Scott’s journey to the south pole, his tent becoming his shelter, his tomb and his shroud.”

The Moniefieth resident made the shroud herself and embroidered the pattern of Scott’s sweater along the hem.

In keeping with this idea Elise opted to create an image using light projection which can only be seen when there is no sunlight, hence the sealed chamber.

Captions:

Michael Craig peers into the mysterious chamber.

Inside the enigmatic installation – the shroud with tiny mirrors representing ‘melt holes’.

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Issued by:

Bill Dower,

Press Officer,

D&A College,

Kingsway Campus,

Dundee. DD3 8LE.

Phone Dundee (01382) 834825.

e.mail w.dower@dundeeandangus.ac.uk

Dundee and Angus College is a charity registered in Scotland: No. SC021188