Art installation ahead of V&A Museum opening

Following a month-long campaign, Overgate in Dundee has unveiled the finished results of its striking DUNDEE’S 7 CITIES art installation

Timed as a precursor to the opening of the waterfront V&A Museum next month,
the 7 CITIES installation celebrates the connections with Dundee’s seven sister and twinned cities around the world in vivid colour and illustration.

From West Dundee and Alexandria in the USA to Orléans in France and Zadar in Croatia, to Würzburg in Germany and Nablus in Palestine as well as Dubai in the UAE, a range of stakeholders including local schools, creative communities and the general public have all contributed to the magnificent artwork which is now live across the main glass frontage of Overgate as well as on display across the second floor of the centre.

Over the last month, artists from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design have been conducting live decoration of giant art cubes in Overgate with the public invited to add their own personalised details as the project developed. Now complete, these cubes contain a wealth of information about Dundee as well as compelling and informative details on its seven sister and twinned cities across the world.

From pen pal letters between pupils of Ancrum Road and Clepington Road Primary Schools in Dundee and their 7 CITIES friends overseas, to a listening post where Dundee resident Doreen Lyons, now in her 80s, shares her memories of visiting sister city Orléans in France on a school exchange in 1974, the art installation is a wonderful past, present and future celebration of the city as it continues to undergo a transformational renaissance.

A section devoted to RRS Discovery Ship – the last traditional wooden three-masted ship to be built in Britain, successfully designed for Antarctic research and now a centrepiece visitor attraction in Dundee can also be enjoyed, as well as a ‘This is my Dundee’ wall with contributions by the public, and a range of other fun interactions.

Speaking about the unveiling of the installation Malcolm Angus, Centre Manager, Overgate said,

“We are delighted to reveal the completed Overgate DUNDEE’S 7 CITIES art installation today. Since the campaign was launched last month, it has been wonderful following its progress and witnessing the engagement with so many local stakeholders. The campaign has very much captured the public’s imagination and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed.

“As we countdown to the opening of the V&A next month, and witness the ongoing transformation of the city, the installation is a timely celebration of Dundee’s contribution to the world and its shared global connections. We would encourage everyone to visit the centre over the next four weeks to enjoy this unique artwork.”