\u2018Many museums are coming to terms with the legacy of the past. Central to this is the question \u2013 whose lives do our collections reflect? This display reveals the work we have been doing to consider the 20th century art collection from different standpoints to provide a more inclusive view that better reflects the diversity of the world we live in.\u2019<\/i><\/p>\n
This invitation to look at representation within the collection is encouraging. A friend and I went to see the show with high hopes of learning of untold stories that might redress the institutional narrative of success, work, development, and power in Dundee. The works on show are of a very high calibre and a delight to see. There are works by Joan Eardley, Anne Redpath, Edward Burra and FCB Cadell. A powerful expressive reclining figure by June Redfern entitled Resting 1987 is worth the visit alone. The vigour of her marks on the canvas evokes a sense of vitality in contrast to the reclining figure in earthy colours. The accompanying label describes a little of her process and that Redpath has encountered prejudice on account of being a woman throughout her career.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_7184-e1681842845484-300x219.jpeg?resize=300%2C219\")
<\/p>\n
The narrative that continues around the gallery falls short of the initial promise of a discussion about whose lives the McManus collection represents. In the question there is an inference of a re-examination of the stories behind the collection, viewed differently in light of Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and other initiatives. These movements have done much to break down the dominance of the white male gaze in our society; it is not easy for an institution to respond quickly or radically. Perhaps my expectations as an audience member were unrealistic?<\/p>\n
The labels accompanying the works appear defensive. They tell us that the collection has sometimes bought, received, and appreciated works by women, people with long term health conditions, artists of colour, and artists from the LGBTQ community. Disappointingly, there is no discussion about the hidden histories of the white men who appear in majority of the paintings permanent collection. It would have been reassuring to see a counter narrative to the traditional one about wealthy white men. Even one painting showing a previously feted leader now blackballed for nefarious doings would have added a strand of realism to show.<\/p>\n
As a female artist with multiple sclerosis, I have experienced prejudice myself. The labels accompanying the two paintings included by virtue of their makers both living with MS did nothing to help me feel more valued or included in the mainstream.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_7168.jpeg?resize=300%2C203\")
These works were not made to address the experience of living with MS.I wondered if the works were collected because the artists had long term health conditions or because the works were significant pieces by Scottish artists with an association with Dundee. If the latter is true, does including them in this exhibition create a lens of otherness for the viewer. Should a gallery acquire works because of an artist\u2019s social or physical \u2018disadvantage\u2019? This question echoes the original question \u2018whose lives do our collections reflect?\u2019 Teasing this out further would make an interesting enquiry. What are the current selection criteria for a painting to join the permanent collection? What sort of responsibility do the current curators of the collection have to recontextualise the stories of the works already there? A walk around the permanent exhibition in the gallery next door shows a roomful of paintings exclusively made by white men and predominantly of white men. This juxtaposition of exhibitions says much more than the text of Hidden Histories.<\/p>\n
In the foyer of the gallery there is an excellent leaflet showing a walking trail around Dundee exploring the city\u2019s connections to slavery. The approach taken to the production of this story in artwork and buildings is thoughtful, balanced and interrogates everybody\u2019s stories from the workers, slaves, mill owners and city worthies across the relevant centuries. The work came from Dundee\u2019s Multicultural<\/p>\n
History Project in association with Leisure & Culture, Dundee;- the parent organisation of the McManus Galleries and the University of Dundee Museums. Clearly it is informed by many and has taken a great deal of thought and effort to create. It would be lovely to imagine that in time perhaps, a similar route map to the collections within the McManus Galleries may become available.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, enjoying the many outstanding works in the Hidden Histories exhibition for their own individual merits is a worthwhile use of an afternoon out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hidden Histories McManus Galleries Dundee The Hidden Histories exhibition is currently on in Dundee\u2019s McManus Galleries and runs throughout 2023. It shows a variety of works selected from the permanent collection with a promise to consider the 20th century from differing standpoints and to discuss the question \u2013 \u2018whose lives do our collections represent?\u2019. Exhibition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-04-18-at-20.00.28.jpeg?fit=640%2C281","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":76,"url":"http:\/\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/uncategorized\/wednesday-12-10-22\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":0},"title":"Wednesday","date":"12 October, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"9.30 session Rules of Drawing with Alex \u2013 my body hurts so much. I choose my route through the college to minimise the steps that are required and the number of stairs climbed. 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I\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Screenshot-2023-04-20-at-22.37.30.png?fit=1200%2C507&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":517,"url":"http:\/\/www.theheuch.co.uk\/Kirsty\/uncategorized\/alan-dimmick-cap-speaker\/","url_meta":{"origin":450,"position":2},"title":"Alan Dimmick CAP Speaker","date":"1 March, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Lovely to see images of the people across cultural communities in Scotland over the last 5 decades. As with the Richard Demarco archive it is a valuable record of some of the great moments in recent Scottish cultural history. For me, both collections raise the spectre of administration. 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