Will Maclean is one of the best known and most acclaimed artists in Scotland over the past 40 years, and as Professor of Fine Art has played an important role in DundeeÂ’s artistic community. Much of his work concerns the symbolic meanings of artefacts from the past, and so museum collections have always held a fascination for him. DÂ’Arcy ThompsonÂ’s desire to collect, catalogue and explain the natural world formed the basis of a series of mixed media box constructions made by the artist in 2007–8. The present work, taken from that series, is a fascinating piece which features several three-dimensional and graphical elements that represent different aspects of DÂ’ArcyÂ’s work and interests (including morphology, marine biology, geometry and classics). It is a work that rewards close viewing and will eventually be displayed in the UniversityÂ’s Zoology Museum alongside the specimens that helped to inspire it. This acquisition was presented by the Art Fund and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Provenance

The artist.