Dundee Gallery lights up with new art commission
A stunning, luminously coloured new sculpture has taken up residence in its new home at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum, to mark the building’s £12 million refurbishment. Commissioned directly from the artist, Waldella, Dundee, by David Batchelor was partly funded by independent charity The Art Fund with a grant of £27,740.
The work, specifically designed for The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum and never publicly displayed before, is the largest and most ambitious contemporary work ever to have been bought by the Galleries. Over 10 metres in length and dramatically suspended from the ceiling, it will act as a focal point for the new three storey central circulation area in the redeveloped building. It is designed to draw visitors up through the building, where they will encounter different views of the work from all three floors.
Dundee-born Batchelor (b.1955) is one of Britain’s most respected living artists – he is currently working on a commission in London and is preparing a survey of 15 years work at the Paso Imperial in Rio de Janeiro. He has exhibited widely in the UK, United States, Europe and Latin America. His work explores the unnatural, artificial, yet seductive colours of the urban environment and the materials he uses are mass-manufactured or industrial in nature. Waldella, Dundee was created from 250 coloured plastic containers and low voltage lightbulbs, suspended from a thick electrical flex.
John Stewart-Young, Arts & Heritage Manager for Dundee City Council said: “The new architectural space of the Central Circulation Core is a contemporary reworking of The McManus's impressive Victorian Grand Stair. Where the architecture of the Grand Stair is complemented by stained glass panels, here the stained glass is replaced by a large light work made from recycled plastic bottles. We are proud to have commissioned a work of international quality for this space and we thank The Art Fund for its generous support.”
Stephen Deuchar, Director of The Art Fund, said: “This is a mesmerising piece of sculpture, and it was a bold step by The McManus to commission it; we were delighted to give them our support. It contrasts well with the other work of art recently bought by the Galleries with our help – a sombre yet beautiful painting by Callum Innes. It’s great that the public can now enjoy both for free.”
David Batchelor said: “It has been a great pleasure for me to work on this commission and to watch the McManus Galleries renew themselves over the last five years. I never anticipated I would return to Dundee in this way and at this time, but I’m very happy that this has been possible.”
David Batchelor is also a respected writer. He lives in London, where he is currently Senior Tutor in Critical Theory at the Royal College of Art.
The Art Fund has supported many acquisitions to Dundee's permanent collection over its one hundred year history. The McManus will reopen with many of these Art Funded items on display including Monologue (Black) 4, a painting by Turner prize-shortlisted artist Callum Innes, recently bought by the gallery with a grant of £8,000 from The Art Fund.
Waldella, Dundee will remain on permanent display at The McManus. The McManus has been closed while an extensive refurbishment programme has been carried out. They reopen to the public at 12.30pm on 28th February 2010.
