tartan at the tolbooth

Tartan themed designs by Forth Valley College students will be the focus of a unique free exhibition at Stirling’s Tolbooth gallery this April (Tuesday-Saturday from 10-5pm).

Nine HND Art and Design first and second year students have created work for ‘Tartan – An Exhibition’,  which will look at Tartan from different perspectives and its contemporary use in modern day Scotland.  The work will be shown digitally and through imagery. 

The Tolbooth will also screen a documentary created by the Costume Institute of the African Diaspora – Tartan: Its Journey through the African Diaspora.   

Stirling Council commissioned the students to research the use of Tartan within contemporary contexts, particularly focussing on the work of designers such as Vivien Westwood and Alexander McQueen.

The students were encouraged to have an individual response to the exhibition brief and some used historical references to create contemporary designs - including designing an outfit that a young contemporary Scottish Actor could  wear to a high profile awards ceremony in 2022.

The designs created by the students will also feature at Tartanfest, which is set to be staged in August and September this year. The event, which is being run by a range of local partners including The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Coorie Creative and Bannockburn House, will spotlight the Wilson’s of Bannockburn - the principal Tartan designers and manufacturers in the world and one time owners of Bannockburn House.

Linda Paterson, Curriculum Manager in FVC’s Department of Creative Industries, said: “We were delighted to take part in this exhibition and while it’s been another very difficult year for our students, they worked hard to produce work for the exhibition. It’s been a good experience for them to have to work within a timeline and meet the deadlines that were set.”

Dr Mairi Breslin, Director, Coorie Creative Makers Ltd, said: “The designs will also feature at the inaugural Tartanfest event which is set to be staged in August and September this year, co-ordinated by local charities Coorie Creative and Bannockburn House, and supported by Stirling Council.

“Coorie Creative is a not-for-profit yarn shop in the Thistles shopping centre, offering workshops in weaving, spinning, knitting and crochet and will be co-ordinating a range of tartan focussed events throughout August. Register to hear about these at  www.cooriecreative.co.uk ”

Stirling Council is marking a number of anniversaries in 2022 – 20 years of The Tolbooth, 20 years of Stirling City Status and 200 years since the resurgence of Tartan. To find out more click here