Tag Archives: V&A Dundee

The Dundee Tapestry Exhibition, V&A Dundee

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While we were at the V&A in Dundee to see the Kimono Exhibition we also had a look around the ‘Dundee Tapestry’ exhibition which is free. All of the ‘ tapestries’ which are actually embroideries tell the history of Dundee over the years. In years gone by Dundee was called the Jam, Jute and Journalism city and the embroidered panel below depicts a lot of the characters from the Beano and Dandy comics, read by children of all ages for decades and published by DC Thomson. Oor Wullie is at the top of the panel which also features Denis the Menace (the original)  with his dog Gnasher of course, Beryl the Peril and Granpaw from The Broons. There were some young Japanese women looking around this exhibit while we were there and one of the attendants was giving them a bit of a ‘spiel’ about it, but annoyingly she said Oor Willie, which drives me nuts as it’s definitely Oor Wullie, for some reason they anglicise it – to seem posh I suppose.

Dundee Tapestry, V&A Dundee, embroidery, D.C. Thomson

Dundee Tapestry ,V&A Dundee, C Thomson

The Royal Research Ship Discovery which carried Scott and Shackleton on their First Antarctic expedition is berthed right next to the V&A. She was built in Dundee and it was only fitting that she should return there when she became a museum. It’s well worth a look around it. Otherwise the panel below is about  the many other scientific discoveries from Dundee.

Dundee Tapestry, V&A Dundee

Dundee Tapestry, info board, scientific discoveries, V&A Dundee

But it’s not all about the past, an Eden Project is planned for Dundee in the future and the panel below focuses on the nine environmental guilds which it’s hoped will help Dundee’s future to flourish.

Dundee Tapestry, V&A Dundee

Dundee Tapestry, V&A Dundee, embroidery

This is just a few of the panels, there’s been a lot going on in Dundee over the years, particularly in the computer games industry, so it’s quite a large exhibition with 35 panels which I think is permanent, but it might not be. Some of my photos didn’t come out at all for some reason, but you can read more about the exhibition here.

 

Kimono Exhibition, V&A Dundee – part 3

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This is the last of the Kimono Exhibition photos that I took last week at the V&A Dundee.

Kimonos have been used by film costume designers, such as the one Alec Guinness wore in Star Wars. These are by various modern designers.

Kimono Exhibition, V&A, Dundee

 

Kimono Exhibition, V&A, Dundee

The white/cream kimono in the photo below is a bridal kimono. The bride starts out the day in this colour and by the time the ceremony is performed she is in a red kimono like the one in the photo.

Kimono , V&A Dundee, Japanese

The kimonos below are by fashion designers who have updated the traditional kimono designs. Kimonos have been used for stage wear by musicians. David Bowie famously wore what was regarded as a kimono but was really more akin to a Chinese tunic I think.

Kimono , V&A Dundee, exhibition

Kimono, V&A Dundee, Japanese

Lastly the kimono in the photo below was a gift to a member of British royalty in the 1960s.

V&A Dundee, exhibition, Kimono, Japanese

Kimono , V&A Dundee, exhibition, Japanese

I doubt if this was ever worn by royalty but the one below was. Rock royalty anyway. It belonged to Freddie Mercury. He was fond of kimonos for stage and party wear.

Kimono worn by Freddie Mercury

Kimono Exhibition at the V&A Dundee – part 2

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Back to the V&A Dundee  Kimono Exhibition and as you can see from the two photos below they also had some kimonos being shown on models so that you could see how they would have been worn back in the day.

Kimono Exhibition , V&A, Dundee

You can see the roll of padding at the hemline which would have weighted the fabric down and make it hang better. Sadly it wasn’t possible to avoid reflections.

Kimono , Exhibition, V&A, Dundee

Kimonos were still popular in Japan in the 1930s, the kimono below from 1930 has a very modern design.

Japanese, KimKimono Exhibition, V&A Dundee,

They are a lot gaudier than the traditional kimonos, the one in the middle below definitely has a Charles Rennie Mackintosh Glasgow Rose vibe about it.

Japanese ,Kimono Exhibition, V&A, Dundee

In the 1930s  things were getting more European in design. The small kimono for a young boy features an aeroplane which says kamikaze on it.

Japanese, Kimono Exhibition, V&A, Dundee

As you can see from the designs on the kimonos below dating from 1938 the Japanese had their minds firmly set on getting ready for war with warships and aeroplanes popular motifs on kimonos.

Japanese Kimono , V&A, Dundee

Kimono info, V&A Dundee, exhibition

There might be a part three to this Kimono Exhibition as I took quite a few photos of the contemporary kimonos which have been designed by well known fashion designers more recently. But that’s enough for now.

 

 

 

 

RRS Discovery at Dundee

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One day last week we decided to make our first ever visit to
RRS Discovery which is permanently berthed at Dundee. It’s the ship that took Scott and Shackleton on their first expedition to Antarctica.

We only live about 15 miles from Dundee and have often driven past Discovery but as both boys went on school trips to visit it seemed silly to take them again, so this was our first visit. The city of Dundee advertises itself as Dundee – City of Discovery which is quite smart as not only is it linked with the ship but it’s also known for the high standard of research that goes on at the Universities and Ninewells Hospital.

RRS Discovery bow part

I love ships in general but getting to go on board Discovery was a real treat. It seems amazing that she is so small but travelled all the way to the Antarctic braving all that ice. She was built in Dundee and that’s why she is berthed there now. The Dundee shipyard was chosen to build her because they were experienced at building whaling ships (it was different times) so they knew how to build incredibly strong ships. Below is a photo of the way Discovery was put together for maximum strength.

Structure of wooden sailing ships

We took loads of photos especially of the cramped space below decks, but I’ll leave that post for another day. In the photo below you can see the newly completed building which is the Scottish outpost of the V&A which is yet to open, I can hardly wait!

Discovery and V&A 2

The McManus Galleries, Dundee, Scotland

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We visited the McManus Galleries in Dundee recently, to see the ten Leonardo da Vinci etchings which are on display there. They are part of the Royal Collection and are touring various galleries as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Leda

Some of them are tiny and I had to put my reading specs on to see the detail, but they’re beautiful, even in the very dim light which they are displayed in, for fear of them becoming damaged by bright light.

Unfortunately there is only one image available on their website and as you can see it’s of Leda. It’s a shame that they don’t put them all up on their site so that people who can’t get there can have a look too.

Twiggy on a moped

Another exhibition which is on there at the moment is Selling Dreams: One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography featuring photos from the 1920s up to the present day. It’s well worth going to see if you’re interested in fashion or photography. To me the black and white photos always seem much more stylish with their careful lighting and shadows. Unfortunately the only image on the website is one of Twiggy on a moped, but there are far better photos in the exhibition.

This is part of a travelling exhibition from the V&A – a bit of a taster I suppose because Dundee has been selected as the location for a new Victoria and Albert Museum, the only one outside London, and as you can imagine, Dundonians are thrilled by the idea of it. It just has to be built now! You can see what it will look like here. It looks very futuristic but I imagine it’ll eventually be loved, even by the people who originally hated the look of it. You certainly won’t be able to miss it.