David F Wilson
b 1962, Alyth, Perthshire
About the artist
David Wilson began studying Drawing and Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of
Art and was one of the first students on the ‘first course dedicated to the study and
furtherance of Public Art in Britain’. He was influenced by the Dundee Public Arts pilot
scheme that was trialed in the industrial area of Blackness, where developers of new
buildings or refurbished projects were encouraged to incorporate works of art. He can
testify to the ‘enlivened and enriched … experience’ it gave him on his daily walk through
the area. He was keen to use the skills that he had learnt at Art College to have a ‘wider
relevance to a broader audience than that offered by the gallery system’.
Emergence (2005), bronze, Cumbernauld, © David Wilson
About the work
This bronze sculpture emerges from the middle of a busy roundabout leading into the town of Cumbernauld. It
stands tall, angular and green. t has many surfaces, each is an abstract shape and each has a distinct surface
texture. On the top shapes on both sides surround a spherical form.
The title of the work contributes to how we understand it. Emergence suggests that it might have something to
do with growth and nature.
Context
Emergence was created in response to an open design brief, which invited
artists to create something ‘organic’ that would refer to ‘new life’. The
commissioners, North Lanarkshire Council, were keen to reflect the new
developments that were happening in Cumbernauld at the time. The
commission was sponsored by Tesco, which was also opening a new store in
the area.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/marksonthelandscape
The research stage is always important to David Wilson as it allows him to find a ‘hook’ to the location in order to
make the work site specific. Most public art projects are undertaken as part of an area regeneration scheme and
Wilson often likes to use this theme in his work. With Emergence Wilson chose to depict a bud.
Materials and processes
David Wilson uses a similar approach to each of his commissioned works. Initial ideas are formulated in quick,
spontaneous sketches. Wilson thinks that it is important to retain the ‘life’ captured in these initial sketches right
through to the completed work. He tries to ‘retain the human, the organic, as much as possible ... as this
connects to people and they respond positively to those elements’.
© David Wilson
© David Wilson
To make the work Wilson built up the plantlike form as a full size plaster replica. He made a mould and had it
sand-casted in smaller pieces by a local firm in Kirkintilloch. He welded the bronze pieces together like a jigsaw
onto an armature so that it has a hollow structure. The final work has a verdigris patina. The oxidization of the
surface of the bronze is created by a chemical reaction and this helps to preserve the bronze and give the
attractive green colour.
An important part of David Wilson’s process is to research all projects extensively so that there is a connection
and relevance between the work, its location and community. The process of working on site, where Wilson
interacts with the public is important to him. He believes that this gives the public ownership of the work as they
can see it develop and appreciate the process.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/marksonthelandscape