MiK Dialectogram Exhibition

The culmination of some 2 years of research and development, the Town hall dialectogram exhibition, reflected something of the many meetings, interviews and conversations undertaken between artist and illustrator Mitch Miller and a wide range of local people. Mitch is often described as the, ‘inventor of the illustrative style of the dialectogram’ – a large-scale, highly detailed drawing that reflects and is shaped by the stories of people and places, individuals, groups and communities. As well as Mitch’s drawings of buildings, people, places, and visits to archives and collections, the exhibition illustrated some of the many narratives gathered about the Town Hall as part of the process of encouraging individual and group contributions to this large-scale drawing. From those with specialist knowledge of the Town Hall and its history, to the memories of those who worked, performed, visited and exhibited there, the arising imagery reflected past activities, objects, and stories, as well as the voices of those newly introduced to the building and its history, pointing to future ideas and aspirations for its new life. It also shared 2 further examples of Mitch’s past work. Chosen by Mitch to complement and add context to the specially commissioned dialectogram for the Town Hall that formed the core to our exhibition, the Shangie was selected for its mining connections that are also a key part of Kirkintilloch’s history and the Brig – a popular community bar – offering a contrast to the teetotal history of the Town Hall.

The MiK Exhibitions and Community Engagement programme was a year long pilot of exhibitions, realised through a collaboration between local groups in the community, artists and the Made in Kirkintilloch project. Each exhibition drew on local heritage knowledge and interest as a catalyst for exhibition-making. The programme was developed by Fiona Dean working with communities, artists and EDLC staff.