Fife-based artist Marion Smith has been working closely with the Dunfermline Learning Campus (DLC) students over the past few months towards preparation for the forthcoming permanent outdoor sculpture, to be completed on site over 2025.
Recently, Fife Contemporary worked with Marion to stage a Design Charette Day including a series of quick-fire engagement and design workshops. Bringing together students from Woodmill High School, St Columba’s RC High School and Fife College the day focused on enabling students to express their thoughts and ideas on the new campus and what they might like to see in a permanent sculpture.
The workshops were run by artists Hannah Brackston and Katie Fowlie, and architect Fergus Purdie, and considered potential sculpture placements, discussed the language, techniques and approaches used in sculpture, and explored meaning, memory and the value of collaboration in creating public works of art.
As Marion shifts to the design stages of the project, this information will play an important part in reflecting and involving the students and wider community in the artwork throughout its construction and as a legacy for future campus users.
To help more people find out about the project Marion has a new display of sculptural models within the Craft Pods, now at the main at reception of the Woodmill and St Columba’s High Schools on the DLC campus.
Marion has numerous public works around Fife, Scotland and the UK, and detailed models have been an integral part of the design and planning process for each. As she begins the designing process of the artwork for the DLC, she presents examples of models from previous public works – sculptures in miniature.
The Craft Pods include three detailed maquette models, two time-lapse videos of sculptures in construction, two work-in-progress examples and more information about Marion and her work on the project.
To continue to involve the Dunfermline Learning Campus community, and to reflect and involve others in the design right from the stage of conception, the Craft Pods have paper slips where anyone can jot down their ideas or sketch their designs to leave for Marion to consider as she develops the final permanent piece.
There will also be opportunities for the public to join in engagement activities and workshops centred around the commission in 2025 – stay tuned!
