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Dundee Tapestry at at V&A Dundee includes nods to city’s comics heritage

By John Freeman on February 2, 2024

The completed Dundee Tapestry, consisting of 35 exquisite hand-stitched panels made by teams of volunteer stitchers on display at V&A Dundee until Sunday, 28th April, includes a nod to the city’s comic characters, published by DC Thomson Media.

Dundee Tapestry on display at the V&A Dundee from Saturday, 20 January to Sunday, 28 April (free to visit).

Over 140 volunteer stitchers from Dundee and the surrounding area worked on the panels since Spring 2022, with many taking up a needle and thread for the first time and learning new skills from the more experienced. Together, they have collaborated to tell Dundee’s unique story, stitch by stitch.

It’s free to visit at V&A Dundee. More details here.

Among the contributors is acclaimed artist Deborah Phillips, whose work is included twice in the Tapestry; the good company of her late friends Joe McKenzie and Tony Morrow in the “Artists and Art Education” panel, and the “She Town” panel.

“My spinner and weaver Grandmothers would have been delighted,” she commented on Facebook, (You can explore mor of her work at deborahphillips.com). Deborah is the daughter of the late People’s Friend cover artist and The Rover and The Victor artist Douglas Phillips.

The stories illustrated in The Dundee Tapestry reach far beyond the well-known headlines of jute, jam and journalism. Drawing on stories and experiences of Dundee’s communities from the mid-19th century to today, the panels explore the city’s industrial heritage, its creative achievements, its biodiversity and its people from 1850 through to the present day.

The Dundee Tapestry project was conceived and developed by John Fyffe of the Weaver Incorporation of Dundee, one of the city’s Nine Incorporated Trades, who said: “The Dundee Tapestry is a form of visual storytelling which tells the amazing history of our city, including the highs and lows, the hardships and hopes. An immense amount of time and dedication has gone into this large-scale community project and we are all incredibly proud of what has been achieved together.

“The volunteer stitchers have worked tirelessly for two years, even finding ways to work on the tapestry throughout the pandemic, and now we really can’t wait to share their work with everyone over the next few months at V&A Dundee.”

As Dundee looks forward, The Dundee Tapestry reveals the city’s past, present and future through eight illustrative themes which include Communities; Nature; Industry; Women; Education; Culture and Creative; International and Futures.

Some of the detail visitors can expect to see include, the Dundee Culture panel reflecting on Dundonians’ resilience and collective sense of humour which includes a selection of embroidered words and phrases in Dundee dialect.

Individual panels dedicated to Nature, Botanic Garden and The Eden Project sit alongside a Health panel, dedicated to some of the medical firsts achieved within the city, as well as celebrating health professionals who have transformed medical practices for people across the world, in specialisms as diverse as keyhole surgery, midwifery, ophthalmology and radiotherapy.

Dundee Women, The Four Marys and She Town are three panels which recognise women of Dundee who made their mark on the city and the world. She Town pays homage to women who may not have received the recognition in their lifetimes, including welder Bella Keyzer, suffragettes Ethel Moorhead and Lila Clunas and councillor Agnes Husband.

The Dundee Tapestry: She Town - Change-makers and unsung heroes
In 19th century Dundee, women were the backbone of the jute industry. As they went off to work in the mills – for lower wages than their husbands could earn – the men were left ‘at hame to bile kettles’, and the city became known as ‘She Town’. This panel celebrates women who may not have received the recognition they deserved in their lifetimes, including welder Bella Keyzer, suffragettes Ethel Moorhead and Lila Clunas, and councillor Agnes Husband. — The Dundee Tapestry: She Town panel, representing Change-makers and unsung heroes. In 19th century Dundee, women were the backbone of the jute industry. As they went off to work in the mills – for lower wages than their husbands could earn – the men were left ‘at hame to bile kettles’, and the city became known as ‘She Town’. This panel celebrates women who may not have received the recognition they deserved in their lifetimes, including welder Bella Keyzer, suffragettes Ethel Moorhead and Lila Clunas, and councillor Agnes Husband.

Creativity and Culture in Dundee is depicted through individual panels dedicated to Comics and Characters, Gaming, Theatre and Writers, Music and Dancehalls and Sporting Dundee with a panel dedicated to Lochee born singer-songwriter Michael Marra.

Dundee’s strong international connections are spotlighted in panels dedicated to Dundee’s Twin Cities and influence on the world. As Dundee’s linen industry grew, the proceeds were inextricably linked to the enslavement of people from Africa and the Indies. The Osnaburg Linen panel acknowledges the links between Dundee and the business of enslavement in the city’s history. The panel depicts links that exist today through the city’s statues, buildings and street names.

The UNESCO City of Design panel reflects on some of the important milestones that have contributed to Dundee’s design renaissance, including Maggie’s Centre at Ninewells Hospital designed by architect Frank Gehry in 2003, Dundee becoming the UK’s first UNESCO City of Design in 2014 and the city welcoming V&A Dundee in 2018.

Paying tribute to Dundee’s gaming success. Games companies like DMA Design (now Rockstar North) and 4J Studios paved the way for a new breed of start-ups in Dundee in the early 1990s, and games like Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft and Lemmings soon emerged. In 1997, Abertay University began offering degrees in computer games design, and Dundee now has one of the biggest clusters of computer games companies in the UK.

Dr Frances Stevenson, senior lecturer at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design is a textile designer and one of the founders of the project. She was invited by Andrew Crummy MBE, the artist behind the Great Tapestry of Scotland to co-design the panels.

Dr Frances Stevenson said, “Researching and illustrating the history, social history and current events associated with Dundee has been fascinating. Stitchers worked with the project design team to find relevant information that we could incorporate into the panels. As a result, we have depicted well known facts such as the city’s connection with Jute, as well as small details that may not be so well known. Did you know the official voice behind Mickey Mouse was Jimmy Macdonald who was born in Dundee, and Dundee Wisconsin claims to be the UFO capital of the World….how great is that!”

Students from DJCAD’s Interior and Environmental Design course have designed the exhibition stands, with construction being carried out by carpentry and joinery students from Dundee and Angus College.

Joanna Mawdsley, Head of Learning at V&A Dundee, said “The Dundee Tapestry is a wonderful co-designed community artwork that celebrates the history and creativity of our city in glorious stitch. We’re so happy to have it on display and look forward to people coming to V&A Dundee to enjoy the experience of seeing the completed Dundee Tapestry.”

A series of themed talks, events and activities are planned to take place at V&A Dundee, engaging audiences with both the design process and the themes depicted in the Dundee Tapestry.

The first of these will take place on Sunday 10th March, Mothering Sunday, with award-winning Scottish designer Chloe Patience who will lead a day-long masterclass in three-dimensional thread techniques, bead and sequin work, teaching attendees how to make their very own miniature tapestry.

• Find out more about The Dundee Tapestry thedundeetapestry.com

• The Dundee Tapestry exhibition runs until Sunday 28th April 2024, The Upper foyer, V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, Scotland | Free admission | Open daily except Tuesday, 10.00am – 5.00pm | Web: vam.ac.uk/dundee

Creative Dundee: Comics and Characters celebrates Dundee’s most memorable comic characters. Here’s a guide to when they first appeared and who first drew them.

1. Meadowside: This iconic building on Albert Square has been DC Thomson’s head office since 1906. Clad in red sandstone from Dumfries in south-west Scotland, the shape and style of the building was greatly influenced by the architecture of American newspaper offices in Chicago and New York. The flag that flies on the top of the building commemorates the first ship that DC Thomson owned.

2. Oor Wullie: The Sunday Post, 1936. First drawn by Dudley D. Watkins.

3. Plug: (from “The Bash Street Kids”) first appearing in The Beano, 1954. First drawn by Leo Baxendale.

4. Toots: (from “The Bash Street Kids”) first appearing in The Beano, 1954. First drawn by Leo Baxendale.

5. Biffo the Bear: first appearing in The Beano, 1948. First drawn by Dudley D. Watkins.

6. Minnie the Minx: first appearing in The Beano, 1953. First drawn by Leo Baxendale.

7. Betty and The Yeti: first appearing in Beano, 1993. First drawn by Robert Nixon.

8. Brassneck: first appearing in The Dandy, 1964. First drawn by Bill Holroyd.

9. Grandpaw Broon from The Broons: First appearance, The Sunday Post, 1936. First drawn by Dudley D. Watkins. The other members of The Broons family are Paw Broon, Maw Broon, Hen Broon, Daphne Broon, Joe Broon, Maggie Broon, Horace Broon, The Twins and The Bairn.

10. Roger the Dodger: first appearing in The Beano, 1953. First drawn by Ken Reid.

11. Beryl the Peril: first appearing in The Topper, 1953. First drawn by David ‘Davy’ Law.

12. Big Eggo: first appearing in The Beano, 1938. First drawn byDrawn by Reg Carter.

13. Lord Snooty: first appearing in The Beano, 1938. First drawn by Dudley D. Watkins.

14. Bananaman: first appearing in Nutty, 1980. First drawn by John Geering.

15. Desperate Dan: first appearing in The Dandy, 1937. First drawn by Dudley D. Watkins.

16. The Four Marys: first appearing in Bunty, 1958. First drawn by Bill Holroyd.

17. Harsha (from “The Bash Street Kids”): first appearing in The Beano, 2021. First drawn by Nigel Parkinson

18. Dennis the Menace & Gnasher: first appearing in The Beano, 1951 (Dennis) and 1968 (Gnasher). Both first drawn by David ‘Davy’ Law.

19. Korky the Cat: first appearing in The Beano, 2004. First drawn by James Crighton.

20. Danny (from “The Bash Street Kids”): first appearing in The Beano, 1954. First drawn by Leo Baxendale.

21. Calamity James: first appearing in The Beano, 1986. First drawn by Tom Patterson.

22. Billy Whizz: first appearing in The Beano, 1953. First drawn by by Malcolm Judge.

23. Rubi von Screwtop: first appearing in BEANO, 2017. First drawn by Nigel Parkinson

24. Colin the Vet: first appearing in The Beano, 1953. First drawn by Duncan Scott.

Thanks to Derek Thomas Guyan-Dickémann for the heads up. This item was also updated to add Deborah Phillips contribution to the project, thanks to Mark Mcllmail

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.