JOSEPH MCKENZIE

V & A Dundee - Joseph McKenzie Exhibits

On a flying visit to Scotland I once again had the pleasure in visiting the V & A museum perched on the edge of the River Tay in Dundee. https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee

The highly distinctive building immediately visible as one crosses the Tay Road Bridge, is located between the Road and Rail bridges which connect the coast between North Fife and Dundee. The modern iconic building is located to provide incredible views of both bridges and is a vast and interesting space containing a number of galleries among many other facilities and a must for any visitor to Dundee.

I thoroughly enjoyed two wonderful exhibitions one in the Scottish Design Galleries covering a vast array of designs originating in Scotland throughout the ages and was delighted to see reference to the Tay Rail Bridge spanning 2.75miles (4.43km) between Wormit in Fife and Dundee. Construction of the bridge began in 1871 and was opened on 1 June 1878. However in December 1879 the bridge collapsed in high winds while a train was crossing killing all onboard. Construction on a replacement bridge alongside the old structure commenced on 6th July 1883 and the existing bridge opened on 20thJune 1887.

Displayed within the Scottish Design Galleries is a tribute to the Rail Bridge including an iconic black and white photograph by Joseph McKenzie of the bridge taken in 1966 from Wormit.

In 1987, to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the existing bridge, a train crossed the bridge launching fireworks into the night sky, another moment captured by Joseph McKenzie. He was so pleased with these that he produced a limited collection with a few remaining available. Shown below.

Joseph McKenzie had a great affinity with both the Tay Rail and Road Bridge and was commissioned by William A Fairhurst, the road bridge designer to photograph the building of the bridge which opened in 1966. The study is part of the collection held by The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, and will hopefully one day also be shown at the V & A as a fitting tribute to its location at the end of the 2.25km bridge.

In another gallery, and on show until 27th October 2024 was an exhibition titled Photo City, a fascinating collection of photographs and moving images on the theme ‘How Images Shape the Urban World’. The exhibition features both eminent and historical work including two black and white photographs by Joseph McKenzie from his essay Dundee: A City in Transition. The photographs have been kindly loaned from the large collection held by The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum. The exhibition meanders through a fascinating array of photography related displays culminating in an installation by artist Alan Butler screening Godfrey Reggio’s film Koyaanisqatsi (1982). The film is accompanied by music composed by Philip Glass a real favourite and regularly played while Joseph McKenzie sat at his table touching up his photographs.

Discovery Point 

Located directly next door to the V & A is Discovery Point. https://www.dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/attraction/discovery-point/  

It has a purpose made mooring for the renowned ship RSS Discovery which took Scott and Shackleton to the Antartic between 1901 and 1904. 

The RSS Discovery returned home in 1986, having been built in Dundee, however prior to this was moored in London on Victoria Embankment, River Thames where Joseph McKenzie photographed it in 1949.