Katie Paterson’s work engages with the landscape both as a physical entity and as an idea. Her work is highly conceptual. Fusing science with fine art she draws on the natural world, with geological references to create minimal yet romantic poetic works. She is well known for her work Future Library, an ongoing project that utilises paper grown in a forest in Norway. Each year, a poet creates a work that will eventually become an anthology of 100 submissions. The project is in its sixth year and has contributions from poets all over the globe.
Paterson’s ‘Ideas’ series also dates back to 2014 and is an ongoing lifelong project. Ideas are crafted from solid silver, with text inscribed reminiscent of Japanese haiku. In their evocation of natural imagery, the ideas are cosmic in scale but become alive in the imagination of the viewer to become an expression of the idea itself. Thinking and imagining are a vital part of Paterson’s practice. She also collaborated with scientists, astronomers, geologists and meteorite experts to translate these into profound works of art.
The McManus has sought to acquire work from contemporary artists that resonates strongly with the wider multi-disciplinary museum collections. The three ideas consider the relationship to deep time and the geological landscape, themes in Paterson’s practice and within the collections. Curators at the museum hope the works can be shown as interventions within the permanent galleries, creating a dialogue between past and present that adds depth to the displays, such as the invitation to consider the transitory nature of life and impact upon the planet. This should resonate strongly with visitors and make connections with the collections that highlight Dundee’s historic involvement in global exploration.
