Faculty of Art

Drawing and Painting: Digital Painting and Expanded Animation

Dan Liu

"Channelling Kelvingrove" - Dan's Chapter: John Fulton’s Grand Orrery

As part of my exchange study experience during the fall of 2023, I participated in a group film production project. Here is my chapter of the film that reflects the inner thoughts of a 19th-century mechanical orrery called: "John Fulton’s Grand Orrery" — a model of the solar system in the 19th-century ideal. My creative writing, voicing, and final editing are under great guidance and apprenticeship from Professor Katarina Ranković.

“"Channelling Kelvingrove" is a collaborative project established and directed by Katarina Ranković, an artist, writer, and lecturer at the Glasgow School of Art. In this ongoing endeavour, ten artists come together to explore the rich collection housed at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland.Each participating artist selects an object from the museum's collection and immerses themselves in its history and context. They then channel the perspective of their chosen object, crafting a narrative that gives voice to its unique story and experiences. Through this process of empathizing with inanimate objects, the artists temporarily set aside their own identities to embody the viewpoints of these artifacts.The project culminates in creating a multi-chaptered film production, where each artist's contribution forms a chapter. These chapters intertwine to create a collective artwork that breathes life into the objects of the museum. Through animation and voiceover, the objects are given agency, allowing them to speak and share their stories with the audience."Channelling Kelvingrove" is not only a creative exploration of the museum's collection but also an opportunity for the artists to engage with archival materials and public institutions. Each artist is credited for their individual contribution to the film and receives recognition for their role in bringing the project to life.By blurring the lines between the animate and the inanimate, "Channelling Kelvingrove" invites viewers to reconsider the relationship between humans and objects, opening up new possibilities for understanding and connection.Channelling Kelvingrove was produced by:Katarina Ranković, Hongil Yoon, Sara Ali, Bianca Patania, Sunny Min, Dan Liu, Charlotte Geekie, Catrina McGregor, Abbey Coats, Embla GrahamWith thanks to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow for granting permission to work with the collection.”