Wolfgang Stiller

 

Matchstick men byWolfgang Stiller in PU Wood and PVA, this installation consists of several larger than life half burnt matchsticks which represent people suffering from a work burnout. 

"One could read those burned matches as worn-out or burned-out human beings. The installation can appear like a battlefield or just like some playground where someone played around with matches and dropped them. All the heads I’ve used so far are from Chinese people. This sometimes leads to the assumption that this is a criticism of the Chinese government. One can read it that way, but I think this metaphor could be used for any western system as well. The matchboxes could be simply seen as formal elements within the installation, as coffins or simply as matchboxes. I actually like to keep it open since I don’t like art that leaves no space for one’s own imagination." Wolfgang Stiller

Lindsay Mahood

 

It has been just over a week since I managed to get through to Glasgow, for a frantic visit to the degree show. My first interaction was with the wonderful Linsday Mahood who explained all about her brilliant research and collection made from  reclaimed Scottish Oak.

"My collection continues my academic inquiry into the untold stories of women who championed the suffragette movement of the 1900s. I’ve reinterpreted the hunger strike medal awarded to these courageous women. In reworking these medals, I aimed to amplify their significance and visibility, drawing inspiration from the boldness of the suffragette spirit. I wanted these medals to be unmistakable, to demand attention and recognition for these women’s remarkable bravery and sacrifice. I am committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility and have brought this into the crafting collection. To this end, I have chosen to work primarily with reclaimed oak and recycled Sterling Silver.

The collection’s specific pieces hold particular significance, each telling the story of Scottish suffragettes such as Flora Drummond, Ethel Moorehead, and Dr Dorothea Chalmers Smith. These pieces are poignant reminders of these trailblazing women’s indomitable spirit and unwavering determination. Ultimately, my work is a tribute to the resilience, courage, and enduring legacy of the suffragette movement. I aim to spark conversations about gender equality, activism, and the power of art to inspire social change." Lindsay Mahood

 

Satoshi Odagiri

 

"Rhythm and balance will lead to harmony. This is an azalea branch that appeared when a young family started living in the village and tended the garden. The pillars are from when the old building was demolished. The stones are from the riverbank of the village. If new value can be created by reconsidering the balance between different things, I think that would be something like hope.

The scenery changes with a cyclical rhythm. If the rhythm of a town's changes is too fast, it can be lonely, and if the rhythm of a town's changes is too slow, it can lead to decline. I think that before balance, I should focus on rhythm. If striving to understand rhythm and reconsidering balance leads to something beautiful, then it seems that harmony is what lies ahead." Satoshi Odagiri

Izzy Osborn

 

Izzy Osborn collages imagery and ideas onto collaged (ply) board.  

"My practice deals in the recombination of cultural waste. It is engaged intimately with current political, ecological, and cultural spheres. What is incredibly important to my practice is notion of the Anthropocene. The idea that human activity since the industrial revolution has so altered the planet, it warrants the naming of this period as a new geological epoch. The Anthropocene has a tendril like reach into all aspects of life, not just climate concerns. The goal of my practice is to depict anthropocentric activity, a reordering of symbolic spolia to clarify the existence of the Anthropocene outwith the existence of the individual. This depiction is achieved through a revaluation of anthropocentric waste. Discarded man-made materials are reworked using a CAD/CAM Laser cutter. Through this branding process, objects without any individual providence are freed from their fate. The engraved compositions I apply to these substrates gesture toward the larger political, social and cultural implications of the Anthropocene. A diverse array of signs are reassembled to comment upon topics which range from food insecurity to warfare. My nom de guerre, 20XX, represents the Anthropocene’s effective destruction of conventional conceptions of time. Contemporary anthropocentric activity will have effects which will reach far into the Earth’s future, and continually reconfigure our notion of our own history. The previous epoch lasted for 10,000 years. The Anthropocene might just last forever." Izzy Osborn

 

Gregor Hogg

 

Gregor Hogg's 'Rock Library of Scotland' a stunning poetic piece of work. 

“The Rock Library of Scotland” is a display cabinet containing three unique artifacts connected to three unique stories of Scottish climbers: Tim, Daniel and Niamh collected in three unique places across Scotland." 

"Filming short documentaries in each location with each rock library participant, allowing them to speak about why the place they chose is special to them. Three stories have been added to the cabinet, with room left for more people and stories to be added." Gregor Hogg

Tim,  Daniel and Niamh the rocks. 

Honor Gibson

"Big Bloody Racket is a series of interactive objects which blend physical and digital sound creation.

In a world which often measures worth by money-making ability, many are dissuaded from pursuing activities purely for the sake of enjoyment. Big Bloody Racket challenges this notion head-on - utilising an interactive museum space to create a playful group music experience. The objects are designed to take the pressure away from the inherent performative nature of playing an instrument, and encourage child-like engagement with our surroundings."

          Honor Gibson 

Jamie Smith

"From Tree to Sea" is a furniture and photography project that explores the journey of driftwood that’s washed ashore on the Sands of St. Cyrus beach. Investigating where it came from mapping its journey In photographs and a multimedia map following the river North Esk to the reach of the sea. Sitting on a hardwood table made from driftwood dragged of the beach. The table itself is designed drawing from this journey taking forms from a wooden boat at the mouth of the river. A table is the heart of a home a place where stories and the story of the table can be told. Provoking people to think about where materials come from." Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith has just graduated from Duncan of Jordanston Art College, Dundee in product design.