Introducing Lauren Morsley - The Billboard Project
The Billboard Project has secured its second commission! As you may have seen over the past few months, we are putting the massive billboard outside our shop to good use. The aim of The Billboard Project is to create a rotating public art space that commissions artists to show their work in the most public of ways in Dundee’s West End! The first billboard commission by Matt Gow has been in place since August and was a brilliant way to launch the idea. His art captured the imagination of Dundee’s people and definitely increased the vibrancy of the Perth Road. With that said, it’s time for our second iteration. Introducing the fabulous @LaurenMorsley!! Dundee-based Lauren is an illustrator and printmaker from Scotland, specialising in bold and colourful designs which create other worlds to explore. Her work is often inspired by intriguing stories, places, and people.
A massive thank you to @openclosedundee for commissioning Lauren to display her vastly colourful work on the board for another 6 month period. The project was made possible with support from @artnightuk and we can’t thank the festival enough for injecting some adrenaline into what will be an amazing legacy for the arts festival all profits from print sales of @laurenmorsley work will go toward our next commission.
“We're so pleased to be commissioning another edition for Billboard Gallery, and even more pleased to have Lauren work with us! Her cheerful illustrative style captures the energy of EH9 perfectly, and we could not be happier with her piece - it's really going to add something special to Perth Road. Not only are we delighted to work with Lauren, but also to dream up some new, more ambitious products with Fraser. We can’t wait till the launch and see everything come together - we’re really excited to see what folk think and share some more artwork on Dundee’s streets!” - Openclose
Additionally, for this billboard rotation, we are happy to announce some merchandise of the artwork that will be available online from Thursday 18th as well as in the shop. We are super happy with how these turned out! An exclusive, limited edition print series will be sold in EH9 Espresso of the piece, the profits of which will go towards commissioning the next artist. We'll also be selling high-quality, ethically-made tees and totes, as well as a range of stickers based on the artwork.
“Collaborating on this billboard project with EH9 and Openclose was an absolute dream! It allowed me to immerse myself in what I love most: creating designs inspired by the everyday lives of people, their routines and connections, and the places they inhabit. I really enjoy creating other worlds for people to explore, with whimsical and humorous touches along the way. I hope that people will notice something new each time they walk past and that it makes their day a little more fun.” - Lauren.
We’re absolutely chuffed with how the piece looks next to our shop and adds even more colour to the Perth Rd. Keep an eye out for the prints and merchandise - as mentioned above, this project is self-sustaining to help other artists, so any purchases would be much appreciated! We will also update this blog every 6 months when the next project rolls over.
Much love, as always."
