The Dynamite Project
Last year, North Ayrshire Council's Creative Links programme commissioned visual artist Rachel Mimiec to work on an arts-meets-science project, of her own devising. She has a community and public art focus to her work, and the idea was for her to work collaboratively with a group of marginalised young people. What Rachel came up with was The Dynamite Project, inspired by the Alfred Nobel Foundation Prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Economics and Peace. Alfred Nobel had an explosives factory at Ardeer, only a mile or so south of Saltcoats.
To bring this project to life, Rachel had the help of a writer, drama worker, video and animation artist, as well as many others in education and science field. One of the outcomes of this project, was Dynamite - an interactive DVD.
Another outcome was a book created by Rachel, writer Gerry Cambridge and Skratch Design, documenting the results of the research. In this book Rachel includes an exchange of letters between Alfred Nobel and herself, in which she tells him about the project. The following is an excerpt from the correspondence in which Rachel tells the chemist about the people who were involved in The Dynamite Project.
Dear Mr Nobel
It was great to hear from you again, your letters are so interesting that I fear mine will not compare but I will try and respond to your request to paint a picture of the project and the people involved.
There was one artist, six scientists, two educationalists, one Buddhist monk, a University, a wind farm, two engineers, a garden, a museum, a festival, a river, a writer, a drama worker, a film maker, a support teacher and two outreach school officers, and twelve young people, nine boys and three girls; these were the main elements of the project, and huge amounts of good will.
To use a scientific analogy the young people were the unstable chemicals in the equation, they were the nitro-glycerine: experiencing difficult times in their lives if not the most difficult, being teenagers. Building their characters, feeling their way in a world where they believe they know themselves and adults know nothing and change is imminent. A storm approaches that may pass them by, bring some rain or for others a full-blown hurricane that will leave destruction and marks that will never quite be forgotten.
They are:
Troubled, content, warm, cool, oblivious, perceptive, warriors, clowns, infectious, laughing, moody, grumpy, mysterious, open books, awkward, bold, confident, hurtful, aware, hidden, angry, respectful, jokers, shy, sly, striking, dull, frustrated, cared for, not cared for, lost, confident, intelligent, embarrassed, sympathetic, ambitious, good, caring, thoughtful, kind, clever, shiny sparkling exploding
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Stars.
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I wanted the dynamite project to make a significant impact on the group. I don't know whether it did or not, some trips were more successful than others, one was a disaster, some workshops were great, others ended with disruption, some people were there because they believed in the project, others to escape a Maths or French lesson, it does not matter.
Ultimately the group and myself got to meet many interesting people who are passionate about what they do. They made a great DVD, 'Alfred's Story' about your life and were given new memories that I hope will surprise them in the future.
The project has given me all of the same things and more. Opportunities to make new work and to remember my time at school - the marks that I still carry.
Like your prizes, I hope the dynamite project will leave it's own legacy.
Best wishes
Rachel
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