Latest news with #JeremyDeller
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Art reviews: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Degree Show 2025
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Degree Show 2025, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design ★★★★ The Wonder Store, Methil Heritage Museum ★★★★ It must be nearly summer. The sun is shining and degree show season is upon us, beginning in Dundee, where more than 450 students are presenting their work to the world at the Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show, including more than 90 graduates in Fine Art disciplines. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While the studios are peppered with posters protesting the proposed staff cuts at Dundee University, of which Duncan of Jordanstone is part, (it took me a while to work out that they weren't part of someone's degree show), even this doesn't dampen the general sense of celebration. The arrival of Jeremy Deller, working with students to create Bacchanalian festivities in the city as part of his National Gallery Meet the Gods project, could only add to the party. Work by Tom Speedy at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Dundee's art school has long had a reputation for skill, and this is a highly skilled degree show, including in painting, which is ubiquitous. This cohort of students, who began their courses in the late stages of the pandemic, wasted no time getting into the college's workshops, from ceramics to printmaking to 3D modelling, and learning skills to apply in their work. In a show with comparatively little lens-based work, Christopher Adam's 45-minute film An Guth/The Voice is both a satirical depiction of a small Scottish town and a deep-dive into language, belonging and traditional song. He also paints and makes prints. At least as ambitious is Robin Faye, who has made a partially devised 30-minute opera based on Kafka's Metamorphosis, making the costumes and sets, recruiting the singers from Dundee University's Opera Society and capturing the whole thing on film. Women now outnumber men significantly in art schools, and there is a strong strand in this degree show which addresses issues of gender equality, beginning with the history of art. Eilidh Pirie's outstanding pastel drawings on fabric reclaim the trope of the reclining woman, affirming that her 'room of her own' is a place for contemplation, solitude and fun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rachel Herd experiments in her paintings with revealing the nude form and concealing it with draped fabric, while Emma Pirrie chooses to paint the nude figure and the fabric separately, letting each evoke the other. Her subjects are very much themselves, ambivalent about our gaze on them. Nicky Riding engages with the invisibility of menopausal and midlife women with verve and not a little anger. As well as overturning stereotypes like 'crone' and 'old bag', she has made a rather beautiful visual poem using the names of B&Q paint colours. Amy Lorimer paints thoughtful portraits of herself and her mother in a series called 'A Woman's Work is Never Done', while Clover Christopherson embraces 'hydrofeminism' with her cyanotype-on-silk portraits of women in water. Some students dive deep into ancient myths. Claire Black is inspired by the ancient Hindu texts, the Upanishads; her work makes particularly effective use of the imagery of the horse, and asks questions about ritual in today's world. Dee Atkinson draws on the myths attached to constellations, and on female figures in ancient Greece, making very accomplished white-on-black works using drawing and stitching. Others embrace popular culture. Hannah Maguire set out to explore the downside of fame using a fictional pop star called Roxie Burns, but Roxie soon took on a life of her own. The show ranges from publicity photos and record sleeves to tabloid front pages. Jodie Couper is looking at celebrity too, making vividly hyperreal paintings inspired by the stories of pop stars and influencers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kayley Mullen is a fine traditional painter. She has painted landscapes en plein air in Spain and Scotland, and studio portraits inspired by mythical figures like Pandora and Persephone. Jenna Donald's paintings are more informal, quietly illuminating everyday tasks. Poppy Gannon works with dried leaves, cutting and stitching them with what must be an incredible degree of patience and intricacy. Sometimes she places these tiny, delicate sculptures in her own bespoke ceramic vessels, accompanied by haiku-like phrases and, in one case, the sound of water in the trunk of a eucalyptus (surely a kind of haiku in itself). Work by Joy Jennings at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Joy Jennings encourages visitors to play with her multitude of tiny figures, The Formables: little human beings made in a range of materials, heavy and light, textured and smooth. Her work is highly sensory, as is that of Leah Macmillan who has made a range of 'touchable' pictures inspired by watching her grandmother lose her sight. The result is a series of three-dimensional landscapes which are interesting, whether one is sight-impaired or not. There is some accomplished printmaking: Stephanie Livingstone's etchings of poisonous flowers, which, depending on context are a threat or a source of life-saving medicine; Lisa Speirs Fleming's linocuts which mix the real and the surreal to tell a story of the strangeness of early motherhood; Yerin Kim's etchings from Scotland and China, which are a vehicle for her superb draftsmanship; Cameron Tucker, who relishes pattern, and prints prolifically on paper and textiles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Speedy's paintings are about drifting and displacement. His figures in landscapes are a kind of symbolism, worked in thick paint, then washed with spirits and materials like sand to create textures. Each canvas is square, measured from the width of his armspan. Finlay Warner has foraged across the buildings sites of Dundee for cast-off materials, and builds sculptures which lean, tilt or hang, not disguising his materials but making us see them in new ways. Pippa Carter's immersive three-screen film, Return to the Land, is a kind of contemporary sublime, while a second film, Dream of the Raven, explores her own journey to being at ease in the mountains. Nina Price paints small expressive landscapes of Shetland, where she grew up, experimenting with a bright palette of yellows and reds. Molly Smart takes over part of the canteen for a clever, ambitious show taking in Freudian psychology, consumerism, fish fingers and death by a ham sandwich. Afton Dick uses a mix of sculpture and 3D modelling to celebrate overlooked creatures, among them the dog tick and the bed bug (arachnophobes should steer clear of this space). Maeve Callister-Wafer's film Yn Sheenan (The Sound) explores the renaissance in Manx Gaelic, both spoken and sung. It's possible to give only a taste here of the different ways this newest generation of artists are finding their voice. Work by Ailsa Magnus at The Wonder Store | Contributed Meanwhile, in Methil, some local artists have put together an exhibition called The Wonder Store to help raise the profile of the local Heritage Centre. Fife being something of a mecca for artists these days, the line-up includes David Mach and his brother Robert, Kate Downie and Phil Jupitus, as well as others who grew up in the area, including the late Jack Vettriano, and the abstractionist William Gear. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result is a show which really does live up its name, encompassing a wonderful variety of styles: David Mach's large photo-collage portrait of Eduardo Paolozzi, and coat hanger sculpture of his father; Robert Mach's Tunnocks wrapper Buddha (The Buddha of Methil?), Koons-esque balloon dogs and a hen wrapped in cream egg foils; Downie's charcoal drawings of a freight train on the Forth Bridge and a radio mast in Rosyth; sculptures by Ailsa Magnus; graphics and ceramics by Susan McGill; pieces made from objects found on Buckhaven beach by Gillian McFarland. My visit coincided with workshops for local P7s delivered by two of the artists. How good is it that these young people, some of whom have never encountered contemporary art before, are seeing it explode with possibilities, made by people who grew up, or have chosen to work, within a few miles of their homes? I hope seeds of inspiration were sown, and I might see some of their work at a degree show in the future.
The Courier
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Why art world star Jeremy Deller chose Dundee over Scotland's capital for myth-inspired project
Even if you've never set foot in an art gallery, you might have walked right by Jeremy Deller's work. In 2004 he won the Turner Prize for recreating the 1980s miners' strike's Battle of Orgreave as an enthusiast's military re-enactment. More recently his bouncy, interactive model of Stonehenge premiered in Glasgow in 2012 and toured the country during that year's London Olympics. Or you might know him from his films, including Our Hobby is Depeche Mode – about hardcore fans of the '80s group – and Everybody in the Place, a masterful study of the crossover between rave music and politics in the '80s and '90s. Most importantly for Dundonian art lovers, he designed the billboards outside the East Marketgait underpass. And this weekend Deller is coming to Dundee with a new, large-scale interactive project which is taking over City Square. Created with students from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Meet the Gods is part of The Triumph of Art, a multi-city project which Deller has created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery in London. 'It's the National Gallery, so it has to be a national project,' says Deller. 'It has to happen outside of London, not just within it.' Meet the Gods will be the second of four monthly events held in Derry-Londonderry, Dundee, Llandudno and Plymouth, before they all come together for the concluding celebration in London on July 26. 'In the National Gallery you have all these paintings with different stories and characters and imagery,' continues Deller. 'These events take examples from these ancient stories and create a party around them, it's simple really. 'In Dundee the paintings will come to life through the contemporary equivalents of some mythological characters who are in a party mood.' Meet the Gods was Deller's suggested theme, and he's worked with Dundee's students to build a scenario in which the god of wine and celebration, Bacchus, has thrown a party for his fellow gods. 'It's a Bacchic tea party, and other gods are going to be there,' says Deller. 'Medusa will be there, we have a Narcissus bothy, then we have elements to do with stone circles, which are probably as ancient as these gods. 'There's a spiritual element, that's really important. We have life drawing with the gods, Eros (AKA Cupid) might be around, maybe even Venus (goddess of love). 'Some of the students have taken on the characters of these gods.' There will also be DIY merch-making from artists Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps, aka KennardPhillipps, a performance by art school band Fallope and the Tubes, folk music and a ceilidh. 'It's all about enjoyment,' says Deller. 'Art has many roles, and one of them is bringing people together to celebrate cultures and places. That's what will happen here.' 'I didn't want to go to the obvious places,' he continues. 'I wanted to go to cities which maybe don't get the attention others do, but ones where people have enthusiasm and there's a culture that I can work with, an organisation that's rooted there. 'Also, I wanted to be in cities where I felt I could get to grips with them without having to travel huge distances across them, walkable places where I can see everything around me. 'Dundee is a really great size of city to work with, I get a lot done and everybody knows each other, which is really helpful.' It certainly isn't an unfamiliar city to Deller. 'I've been to Dundee a number of times,' he says. 'I was in a show at the DCA some years ago, in 2003 I think. It had only just opened, or it felt like it. 'I like the city a lot, and the surrounding area. 'Arbroath is a very interesting place. I know the coastline because I come up on the train a lot, and I've always had a good time here.' Has he seen Dundee change much in that time? 'The buildings have changed,' he says. 'I don't think the people have. It's changed physically, but it's still the place I remember from then.' Deller is an unusual case among contemporary artists, in that he actively seeks out people to put his art in front of who may not give it a second thought. More often than not, it produces a reaction. 'I love making work in the public realm,' he says. 'It's nerve-wracking, because you have the weather to deal with. And the public can behave in ways you're not expecting, but that brings up interesting moments. 'I just want people to have an interesting experience and to take away new memories. And of course there'll be plenty of moments where people can take pictures of themselves doing things with gods. 'It's about changing the nature of the everyday, even for just a split second, and making the world seem different,' he continues. 'People think contemporary art is difficult to understand and a bit pretentious, but it really isn't. It's just people trying to communicate an idea or a feeling, and that's what we're trying to do here. 'It's about people coming together, enjoying themselves in a common space and being proud and happy of where they live. 'That's important to me, and when it's in the open air it's much more random than a gallery. 'However much publicity you do there are going to be loads of people who don't know this is happening. So they'll just come across it and hopefully it'll change their afternoon.'
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bradford celebrates with 'magic' weekend of music
A celebration of music made in Bradford took place in the city over the weekend. Songs and sounds from all over the world were performed by musicians based in the city at a variety of in Ilkley and finishing in the city centre, the Bradford Progress was billed as an unbroken 36-hour long musical Harper, CEO of the Paraorchestra who helped create the event, said: "It's just been such a lovely thing working in Bradford on this project." "The musicians, the audiences, the people on the street, they have welcomed us with open arms," Mr Harper said."There has been interest, there has been confusion, there has been that bit of magic where people get it and get really excited by it." Starting at 05:00 BST on Saturday in Ilkley, musicians travelled along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the Roberts Park bandstand before heading to Bradford Industrial Museum and on to Undercliffe Sunday the performers moved from the cemetery to The Broadway shopping centre before reaching The Mirror Pool for the finale. The music played ranged from Qawwali, jazz, Bhangra and brass of musicians took part in the project that was free for people to attend and was part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Music played originated from different parts of the world, including Africa and South Asia, to celebrate Bradford's diversity. The Bradford Progress has been two years in the making and was organised by artist Jeremy Deller and conductor Charles both help run the Paraorchestra, described as "a fearless collective of disabled and non-disabled musicians".Musicians from the Paraorchestra, who also took part in Bradford Progress, told BBC Look North that it was "great fun" to be part of the weekend of music. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Magical' 36-hour musical journey takes over Bradford
An unbroken 36-hour long musical parade through Bradford and its surrounding countryside, which has taken two years to plan, has got under event, known as The Bradford Progress, part of the City of Culture 2025 celebrations, began at dawn with the ethereal sounds of the Paraorchestra echoing across the famous Cow and Calf Rocks at Ilkley Progress aims to celebrate the district's diverse music with performances staged in unexpected places, including mills, museums, cemeteries, and even on boats, buses and Harper, the Paraorchestra's chief executive officer, said the start of the event had been "beyond our imagination" and "magical". The Bradford Progress, which is due to conclude on Sunday afternoon at the Mirror Pool in the heart of the city, was created in collaboration with the Paraorchestra, Charles Hazlewood, artist Jeremy Deller and people in the Bradford Harper said: "The whole point of it is to have unfamiliar music in unfamiliar places, creating this journey across the districts."You might hear a Ukrainian choir on a train, perhaps, or you might be passed by an open top bus with a brass band on it." Later on Saturday, the Progress took to water for a four-mile mobile performance along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal from Bingley to featured artists such as Liza Bec, the Toby Brazier Quartet, Ey Up Klezmer, Flash Cassette, Steve Varden, Dean McPhee and Vijay the narrowboats, onlooker Sharon Rae said: "It's really interesting and a good use of the canal."We all know it's wonderful, but to bring other people here is a really special thing." Meanwhile, Janet and Keith Wilson, who said they lived nearby, also enjoyed watching part of the free said it was good to see the canal being put to use, adding: "It is great to see so many people have turned up." The Bradford Progress is expected to feature a variety of musical styles, including folk, punk, Bhangra, gospel, baroque, Bassline, brass band, electronic, Sufi, Indian Classical and well as Paraorchestra, a range of other musicians are taking part, including the Bingley Ukulele Group, Bradford Cathedral Choir, City of Bradford Brass Band, Bradford Accordion Band and the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Harper said: "Music is such a great, powerful unifier."I'd encourage people to get out and come to one of the events." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘An unbroken arc of music': Bradford prepares for 36-hour odyssey of sound
'The whole thing is chaos,' said the conductor Charles Hazlewood, before a weekend art project with the artist Jeremy Deller that will feature Handel on Ilkley Moor at sunrise, disco from a tractor, opera blasted out of modified car sound systems and much more. 'But it will be organised chaos,' added Hazlewood. 'An acceptance of chaos … which is what it's like to live in a city, isn't it? You have to embrace the chaos.' Hazlewood, the founder and artistic director of Paraorchestra, has teamed up with the Turner prize-winning Deller for The Bradford Progress, one of the highlight events of this year's Bradford city of culture. It has been two years in the planning, lots of 'chatting, visiting, talking to people' and is a dizzying musical odyssey involving about 500 musicians all celebrating the sound of Bradford. The idea is for an 'unbroken arc of music' for 36 hours, starting on Saturday at sunrise with a three-minute blast of Handel at the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor and processing along the moors, taking in canals, parks, cemeteries, the industrial museum, housing estates shopping arcades and more before concluding at the Mirror Pool in the city centre. There will be classical, bhangra, folk, punk, gospel, bassline, brass band, electronic, Sufi, Indian classical, and minimalist. Deller said music was a great way of telling stories. 'You find out about the city by the music that's made in it and who's here and why and what kind of music is made and who makes it. It will be storytelling without having to make it obvious.' The pair have been working on the project on and off for about two years and say they did not want it to be a musical relay race. 'It's so much more than that,' said Hazlewood. 'The music is continuous and it morphs from one type of music to another type of music. The edges are blurred. You get these bits of cross-fertilisation between musics that aren't meant to go together.' A big theme of the weekend will be incongruity and unexpectedness. Neither Deller nor Hazlewood wanted to give away all the surprises, although they did disclose the prospect of opera from the sound systems of modified cars. Have the young men involved enjoyed it? 'Well, it's not entirely clear if they've 'enjoyed' it, let me put it like that,' said Deller. Another possible highlight is a performance of Steve Reich's The Four Sections by the Paraorchestra in the Broadway shopping centre, which is a particular thrill for Hazelwood. 'I've always wanted Paraorchestra to play in a shopping arcade. A big part of our work is about rubbing out the fourth wall, rather than being an audience member on the outside looking in, they can be on the inside looking out.' Hazlewood said he wanted people to see the sweat on a trumpeter's upper lip, to be behind a double bass and feel its vibration. 'Orchestras do tend to be these rarefied beasts where, often, players walk on stage and don't even acknowledge the audience. 'That frustrates me because music is an act of love. It's an act of communication. It doesn't exist in a bubble.' There will be music through the night in the cemetery although people won't literally be able to get in, 'unless you're dead,' said Deller. The santoor and electronic music should though be hearable from the street. It sounds chaotic but is, in truth, meticulously organised by a large team. The plan is that sections will be filmed and put online for people who can't get there. On Friday, there was an early taster of what is to come as a lone tabla player, Qaiser Khan, walked through the blazing Saltaire sunshine to the Victorian bandstand in Roberts Park. There, between two 19th-century 10ft-cannons, singers from Song-Geet, Yorkshire's first south Asian women's choir, performed. They were followed by wind players from the Paraorchestra playing Mozart. Different people will get different things from the weekend but above all, Deller said, he wants people to just enjoy it. 'Enjoy the music in these very familiar and unfamiliar surroundings. It's quite straightforward really – people coming together and listening to music and participating. Often it is the simple ideas which are quite complicated to make. This is a simple idea but there are a lot of working parts.'
