Dundee’s public art collection is one of the greatest in the country.
From Minnie the Minx to Oor Wullie, sitting opposite the building where he was brought to life, and from video game characters to historical figures, our statues celebrate the unique culture of our city.
They’re important to Dundee’s profile. The statue of Desperate Dan appears all the time in promotional materials for the city.
And some of them simply could not belong in any other place.
Take the statue of the bear chasing a man in the High Street.
It’s based on the story of Bruin, a polar bear that escaped when it passed through Dundee in 1878 and caused havoc on that very street.
There are colourful stories linked with so many of these pieces that we walk past every day, from the Dundee Dragon, inspired by the mythical tale of the Nine Maidens, to the beautiful Tay Whale at Waterfront Place.
And each of them says a little more about what it means to be Dundonian.
Could Dennis topple penguins as Dundee public art favourites?
I did a poll on Dundee Culture, asking people which statues were the best and the penguins on the Nethergate came out on top.
They’re certainly my personal favourites and seeing them dressed up for different occasions in the city, from university graduations to ice hockey matches, is adorable.
But there is one notable omission from the great and the good of the Dundee statue scene.
dundee is the only city in the country that understands what makes statues good: having weird little guys being terrorised by bears pic.twitter.com/Q8w8ONldQV
— 𝔐𝔞𝔤𝔫𝔢𝔱𝔰 🧲 (@PerthshireMags) June 9, 2023
Of all the characters to have burst out of the DC Thomson stable, surely Dennis the Menace is most deserving of a place on our pavements.
Imagine a statue of him slinging his catapult while Gnasher sits next to him smirking?
What better way to mark the Beano’s approaching 85th anniversary?
Put it outside the train station and tourists would be left in no doubt about the city they’ve arrived in.
And think of the photo opportunities for visitors and locals alike
Public art is for everyone in Dundee to enjoy
It isn’t all about statues though.
We also have public art projects such as Open/Close Dundee which does a fantastic job creating murals across the city.
The Close Encounters mural on Cardean Street was commissioned by the group in partnership with Stobswell Forum and contains various local references, including a view of Baxter Park seen in one of the windows and swans from the Swannie Ponds.
Others have important messages. The Oor Wullie mural on the Hilltown, by Gazmac + Sapien, features our comic book hero with his famous bucket on his head.
It’s a reminder that mental health struggles happen to the best of us.
Dundee will come into focus when the Art Night festival happens across the city on June 24.
A group of 10 local and international artists will encourage participants to look at the city’s civic and public spaces in a whole new light.
It promises to be an exciting night. But take a look around the next time you’re strolling through Dundee and enjoy the treasures that are here for everyone to enjoy all year round.
We are fortunate to have such a wide range of public art and a city with so much culture to celebrate.
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