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exploring the River Don

The River Don Residency

SURF Aberdeen

Irene Rogan was appointed as the River Don Artist in Residence by Aberdeen City Council Arts Development in November 2012, as part of the Public Art Aberdeen (PAA) initiative and the Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF) Aberdeen project. The artist's role in this commission was to collaborate with PAA and SURF Aberdeen to develop a 'Public Art Plan' for the 10-mile stretch of the River Don Corridor. This plan involved engaging with local communities to create temporary public artworks that explore, examine, and highlight issues surrounding public space in the area. The SURF Aberdeen project aims to improve the planning, management, and perception of open spaces along the River Don Corridor, which stretches from the coast to the countryside.

 

The residency focused on developing the artist's practice through research, experimentation, and collaboration, largely outside the confines of a studio or gallery, as neither were part of the commission. Rogan's approach to the residency was process-based, with outcomes emerging through ongoing dialogue between the artist, participants, and the local community. This dynamic exchange often brought together ideas from a wide range of disciplines and lay narratives. Several dominant themes emerged, including art and science, the area's history, heritage, and a sense of attachment and belonging, in which both domestic and industrial architecture contribute to the now 'natural' landscape. Environmental concerns were also central to the project, reflected in references to the ecology of the river and its surroundings, both visible and microscopic. Participants also expressed meaning through more abstract forms of expression, such as music and written texts.These activities became integral to the work, informing the artist's critical practice while addressing the public realm objectives outlined in the commission's brief.

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River Don Outposts

The outposts was a series of  temporary research stations at three sites on the banks of the River Don; interactive public sculptures or installations and in the spirit of research, there was an element of spontaneity and experimentation.  Using found or bought, natural and recycled and manmade materials or objects in order to reflect the River Don’s biodiversity, natural and industrial heritage and mystery.

 

Through this spontaneous and creative activity combining art and science, was an attempt to reveal symbolic and material aspects of the River, through various media including sculpture, microscopy, video, photography, and music performances, whilst considering sustainability and environmental aspects of the River and estuary.

Local community and passersby were invited to join in creating experimental site-specific artworks, or look through a microscope at flora and found objects, experience the effect of solo Violinist Bea Dawkins playing classical music to the river, write thoughts and responses down and hang labels on industrial remnants to contribute to a commissioned music composition from an open call to local musicians.

OUTPOST #1 The Cogwheels Woodside Industrial cogwheels, enlivened to create a hint of the past use, parts of the site nearby were cleared revealing a series of hidden steps and wall.  Passersby were invited to comment on outposts was a series of  temporary research stations at three sites on the banks of the River Don; interactive public sculptures or installations and in the spirit of research, there was an element of spontaneity and experimentation.  Using found or bought, natural and recycled and manmade materials or objects in order to reflect the River Don’s biodiversity, natural and industrial heritage and mystery.

 

Through this spontaneous and creative activity combining art and science, was an attempt to reveal symbolic and material aspects of the River, through various media including sculpture, microscopy, video, photography, and music performances, whilst considering sustainability and environmental aspects of the River and estuary.

Local community and passersby were invited to join in creating experimental site-specific artworks, or look through a microscope at flora and found objects, experience the effect of solo Violinist Bea Dawkins playing classical music to the river, write thoughts and responses down and hang labels on industrial remnants to contribute to a commissioned music composition from an open call to local musicians.

​OUTPOST #1 The Cogwheels Woodside Industrial cogwheels, enlivened to create a hint of the past use, parts of the site nearby were cleared revealing a series of hidden steps and wall.  Passersby were invited to comment onthe river and hang notes on the cogwheels. 

This page includes two sound track:

Ross Whyte 'Sounds of the Don,

Bea Dawkins and Mark Dunsmore  and Orchestra 'Our Nature'

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OUTPOST #2 The Donmouth Estuary where saxophonist Mark Dunsmore plays saxophone  to the sea, sculptures  are from found objects and microscopy images from the collected samples 

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BLOOM ECO

BLOOM Eco Exhibition - February 2013
Natural History Centre, University of Aberdeen

The BLOOM Exhibition featured the Natural History Centre's collection of taxidermy specimens, an installation by Irene Rogan, and a sound piece by Ross Whyte titled Sounds of the Don, complemented by a digital slideshow of diatoms. Micro-organism-inspired sculptures were created by students from three local primary schools—Riverbank, Seaton, and Woodside—under the guidance of artist-in-residence Debbi Beeson.

BLOOM was an eco-focused project that brought together art and bioscience, traditionally seen as separate disciplines. Through a series of field trips, art workshops, and the final exhibition, students developed large-scale sculptures inspired by microorganisms and illuminated with lighting. The project engaged visitors in exploring the invisible world of microorganisms, fostering environmental awareness, and offering a fresh perspective on the natural environment of the River Don.

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Garden of Earthly Delights

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Cruickshank Botanical Gardens,

University of Aberdeen

‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ was a six days project with the artist working on-site and inviting the public to meet the  her discuss  the river Don and  participate in the creation of the artwork  it  included a  final poetry event with local Doric speaking poet Callum Peterkin reading his  poems and  writings by local writing group in the garden during and after  the installation.

The title for the work references the famous painting by Hieronymus Bosch:  a painting depicting a panorama of Heaven and Hell showing humanity in a state of chaos. The situating of this work specifically sought to reference and draw attention to the value of public spaces and parks, in particular the nearby Seaton Park bordering the River Don.  The red carpet is a welcome offering temporary celebrity status.

The Garden of Earthly Delights’ employed a playful touch to impart, collectively, a more serious message. Visitors were invited to participate in the production of these works by bringing their unwanted artificial flowers and positioning them within an expanding array of floral displays (mostly roses). The artificially vivid summer colours, when viewed against the backdrop of a dormant wintertime garden were both engaging and at the same time jarring; for many this eruption of colour produced a smile with all its implications of kitsch or postmodern irony.

However, the feeling generated in the sensory space of the botanic gardens was one of disquiet; gaudy artifice disrupted the tranquillity of this 'sleeping' space. The work served as a reminder to us all of the perils we may face if humankind continues on a path whereby nature is increasingly supplanted by dubious human creations.  In exchange for their floral contributions and in order to impart a more positive experience every participant was given a packet of 'mystery' seeds to take home, to sow and nurture towards creating a living garden scattered around the city.

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Top: environmental installation 'Gardenn of Earthly Delights' Left: Seaton Park ornamental garden and River Don Middle: Shed and interior

Bottom left: Artist’s sketch for 'Garden of Earthly Delights' Bottom right: sample mystery seeds given to participants.

OUR NATURE

Dunbar Community Hall,

St. Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen

A composition titled Our Nature, a symphony, lyric writing and musical performance by 21-piece orchestr featuring internationally acclaimed solo cellist and composer Geoffrey Palmer.

Aberdeen University Masters Studentd were invited to work with the artist in residence on a music project - to collaborate on a new composition inspired by participating in River Don Residency events.

Bea Dawkins and Mark Dunsmore, students at Aberdeen University Department of Music, collaborated with the artist in residence during the three research Outposts. They played a violin to the river and a saxophone to the sea, delighting passersby and visitors, this formed the initial inspiration for the music and using the words from labels hung on the Outposts. OUR NATURE is a classical symphony inspired by the River Don and its communities. This exciting new work was performed by a twenty one piece orchestra which they gathered together,

       

        ‘What is your favourite place on the River Don?

                                   ‘Wherever the wildlife is’place on the River Don? ‘Wherever the wildlife is’

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