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Red Yellow Blue

The exhibition Red Yellow Blue was curated by Graham Domke, Curator at DCA Dundee Contemporary Arts. Artwork selected for the exhibition is a body of critical appropriation work. Nielsen quotes aspects of iconic artwork as a point of departure. The work sets out to challenge dominant interpretations of key art and artists, in particular the two twentieth century pioneers of geometric monochromatic abstractions, Dutch artist Piet Mondrian and Russian artist Kasimir Malevich. The exhibition was centred around a large greenhouse commissioned by DCA as a part of the gallery's 10 year anniversary. The greenhouse contained plants that the artist Mondrian drew between 1899 and 1910, and again in the first half of the 1920s. Although his flower studies are less well known than his abstract geometric work they are crucial to his development as an artist and profoundly revealing in terms of his personal relationships with nature. Nielsen worked with a team of expert gardeners from St Andrews Botanic Gardens and Dundee Botanic Gardens to identify, source, cultivate and plant the species of flowers. Nielsen’s greenhouse design was based on 19th and early 20th century originals, using archive imagery supplied by the Garden Museum in London. Nielsen also presented works from her other series, notably her kites inspired by Malevich and a Stile. DCA also commissioned Nielsen to make a screen print “Modern Lovers” (edition of 20) as a part of the exhibition. Dr Sarah Smith, Lecturer in Historical and Critical Studies at Glasgow School of Art, gave a talk at DCA on Saturday 1st August 2009, discussing Nielsen's work in Red Yellow Blue, the artist’s influences and addressed key issues such as appropriation and homage. The Red Yellow Blue exhibition was visited by 5134 people, average daily attendance 101. Funded by Scottish Arts Council and Dundee Council.