This Autumn and Winter, Collective’s City Dome will be a site of play, filled with a large-scale interactive exhibition by artist Katie Schwab.
Katie participated in Collective’s Satellites Programme for emerging artists in 2015, since then, she has exhibited widely, was nominated for the MaxMara prize in 2019, and participated in the British Art Show in 2022. She has produced interactive installations and projects for Tate, Baltic, Arnolfini and Serpentine inviting families to play, creating new images and patterns and exploring new possibilities with materials.
With a special interest in early-mid twentieth-century design and craft, Schwab’s practice is hands-on, collaborative and participatory. In the City Dome, she will layer textures, touchable surfaces and sculptures to create an exhibition that will invite tactile engagement and learning through play.
For The Seeing Hands, Katie has taken inspiration from a number of architectural details found at Collective and twentieth century art & design reference points, specifically The Tactile Workshops book by Italian artist & designer Bruno Munari (1907-98). Munari’s book suggests making a touchable library for children – a collection of materials with different tactile qualities – something that is reflected in Katie’s installation, which encourages children to experiment freely.
Since opening the Observatory in 2018, Collective has been exploring the site and exhibition programme with local families and groups using loose parts play theory. Through trails, play weekends and regular drop-in sessions, the gallery works with artists and groups to create opportunities for creative learning through play.
People of all ages are welcome to drop-in to play, look and gather in the exhibition with facilitated sessions during the regular Friday drop-in Play sessions. Schools, nursery or community groups are welcome to contact Collective to book time to experience the exhibition.
Please contact mail@collective-edinburgh.art for further information on bringing a group to visit The Seeing Hands.
This artwork is a joint commission in partnership with Bluecoat (Liverpool).
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
