V&A Dundee will present major exhibitions on Michael Clark and plastic in 2022
Michael Clark: Cosmic Dancer
5 March to 4 September 2022
V&A Dundee will next year show the first ever major exhibition on Michael Clark, the groundbreaking Scottish dancer and choreographer, curated and organised by Barbican Centre, London.
This exploration of Michael Clark’s work establishes his radical presence in British cultural history.
Born in Aberdeen in 1962, Clark began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London. As a young choreographer, Clark brought together his classical ballet training with London’s punk, fashion and club culture to establish himself as one of the most innovative artists working in contemporary dance.
Film, photography and material from Clark’s practice will be presented alongside his legendary collaborations across visual arts, music, fashion and film presenting him as an innovator and defining cultural figure who has introduced contemporary dance to a wide audience.
Plastic: Remaking Our World
29 October 2022 to 5 February 2023
Plastic: Remaking Our World will chart the changing fortunes of a material with a more than 150-year history, encouraging visitors to think afresh about the promise and challenges of this extraordinary material.
The exhibition will ask the question ‘How did we get here?’ beginning with the innovation of a material that now has global dominance. It will present the story of plastic from invention to ubiquity, from the history of what was once considered a magical material to the challenge of plastic pollution today as one of the world’s most urgent issues. The exhibition will feature prototypes, new technologies, and cutting-edge materials as designers grapple with a material that has changed our world.
The exhibition will feature product design, graphics, architecture and fashion from the collections of the V&A and Vitra Design Museum, as well as collections all over the world. This is the first exhibition co-produced by V&A Dundee, the Vitra Design Museum and MAAT, with consultant curators from V&A South Kensington.
Leonie Bell, Director of V&A Dundee, said: "Design is a critical part of everyone’s lives and as Scotland’s design museum we engage with design in all sorts of ways, from celebrating the wonder and innovation it brings to encouraging debate about its potential to address challenges.
“Michael Clark is a truly remarkable creative force, who as a dancer and choreographer has challenged and redefined the limits of dance, its relationship to design and its place in contemporary culture.
“Plastic: Remaking Our World will explore how design can make powerful promises for the future that can turn into environmental challenges, while also looking to design’s role in solving the global problem of plastic pollution.
“These exhibitions celebrate the incredible diversity and potential of design. We can’t wait to welcome visitors to each of these major exhibitions.”
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