Output details

The Scales of Life

Shemilt was selected to produce an artwork for a new building, the Centre for Translational and Interdisciplinary Research (CTIR), College of Life Sciences, at the University of Dundee. On the front facades of the building 15 large anodised aluminium cladding panels (1.5m wide x 14.4m high), incorporate an artistic abstraction representative of four key scales of Life Science Research: Molecular, Organellar, Cellular and Tissue. Shemilt and Ferguson collaborated on the interpretation and translation of scientific models, diagrams and illustrations from the various science teams and labs, with the objective of producing iconic designs that would accurately reflect the science, embody an aesthetic response, and be possible to be reproduced by the manufacturing process – perforation of different size circular holes into the metal panels. The technology and the techniques she had been developing with laser cutters were adopted. Shemilt initiated her designs through traditional sketching variations and prints, and thereafter scanned these images to computer, which controlled the cutting into card by laser cutter. By March 2011 Shemilt (assisted by her RA Hudson) had produced a range of prototypes to discuss with the Architectural team (BMJ), and panel manufacturer. Only one previous project had been undertaken before using this perforation technique and it could not render the images and retain the detail required. The optimum solutions and designs were then selected for final prototyping in the Summer of 2012, with delivery of the first panels in February 2013, followed by the remainder from May 2013.

The overarching objective of the artwork is to engage the wider University, general public and visitors to the building, by communicating some of the key areas of life sciences research, in particular reflecting the work carried out in Dundee.