About this artwork
This poetic aerial photograph of fields near Inverness was taken through the open window of a small plane. Although the image shows a comprehensive view of the landscape, the unfamiliar viewpoint gives it an ambiguity that borders on abstraction. According to the artist, the image evokes "a sense of the mysterious, dynamic, living character of an environment". The work, like many others by Macdonald, is informed by her background as a biological scientist, as well as an interest in environmental sustainability and the impact of people on landscape. It also shows an understanding of how poetry can link with visual arts. The work carries a double title; according to the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui, ‘dragon currents’ are magnetic energy lines in the Earth.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Patricia MacdonaldScottish (born 1945)
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title:Harrowed Fields / Dragon Currents near Loch Ness
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date created:1990
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materials:Cibachrome print
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measurements:39.90 x 26.80 cm; mounted: 55.60 x 40.60 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased 1991
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accession number:PGP 72.1
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gallery:
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subject:
Patricia Macdonald
Patricia Macdonald
Patricia Macdonald was born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh University where she gained a doctorate in Biological Science in 1973. An independent photographic artist and graphic designer, she was Head of Publications Design and Production for the National Museums of Scotland from 1985-90....