See The McManus through the eyes of 35 local writers…
Inspired by objects and artworks on display at the McManus, Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, a group of local writers have produced A Private View, an anthology of stories and poems, each one evoked by an exhibit chosen from the McManus collection.
The McManus first opened its doors to the public in 1867 but has recently undergone a major refurbishment offering renewed and improved access to galleries that include everything from exhibits charting 400 million years of Dundee’s history to a stunning array of paintings and decorative arts.
Nethergate Writers are all members of the two ‘Continuing as a Writer’ classes which are part of Dundee University’s Department of Continuing Education. Their previous successes include Roots, If Stones Could Speak and Whodunwhat? With all three of these getting to Number One in the best sellers’ list in Waterstone’s Dundee store and previous appearances at the Dundee Literary Festival , in the Dundee Rep and on Radio Tay under their belts, the writers hope that their growing number of readers will enjoy their latest work.
All with strong local connections, the writers took willingly to the suggestion made by tutor Esther Read to seek inspiration amongst the thousands of items on display in The McManus. The thirty-four pieces chosen for publication, all of which feature in coloured illustrations in the book, reflect the diverse backgrounds and interests of the authors and are based on objects as diverse as and the painting featured on the cover of the book, ‘A Gipsy Maid’ by James Stuart Park, and a crinoline doll toilet roll holder! Keri McGowan, Creative Learning Officer at the McManus, who has been an enthusiastic supporter of the project from the start said, “The imaginative responses to the objects and artworks chosen by Nethergate Writers illuminate the city’s collections in new ways. The anthology is a new creative thread running through the cultural heritage of Dundee.”
