The Rip It Up Exhibition
So before I set off back home to the trustworthy Highlands, I stopped by the National Museum of Scotland to see the “Rip it Up” exhibition. My older sister came with me which I was very grateful for as she studies Sport and Fitness, so stuff like this is at the other side of the spectrum for her. Not only did she dish out £8 to go see this exhibition, she also spent a good hour listening to me rabbit on about “The World of Design”.
To begin with I was a little underwhelmed; not by the exhibition itself, the exhibition was laid out perfectly, you weren’t purposely bumping into people so you could see the displays; the movement in the room was flowing well and it was spacious and airy, however the displays in it didn’t excite me, but that was a personal thing, no fault of their own. The exhibition was based around the history of Scottish Pop music, which is where it lacked excitement, that was until I walked around a bit more and got further into the space. As always I’ve put together a list of my favourite designs for you readers to learn about.
My top favourite display that was in the exhibition was this poster for “Rock against Racism” I am about to show you. The reason it is on my favourite list is because it’s trying to convey something I am very passionate about…the end to racism, to think that it’s still an issue in the 21st century is mind blowing.
This poster represents the want to change how society views different races. “Rock against Racism” was set up as a response to a huge growth in racism attacks and right-winged extremists views. Rock against racism and the Anti Nazi league came together and organised a series of concerts to show people that music can do more than just entertain; it can make a difference. This movement inspired a lot of change and a lot of supports to help spread the word. But it wasn’t just the story behind the poster (although that is the most important part) it was the poster it’s self that pulled me in to wanting it on my favourite list. The design on its own is interesting, the bright bold colours, the difunctional layout, the lettering; everything about this poster screams informal but thats what it needed to do. It needed to get everyone’s attention, it needed them to stop and look at the poster, it needed to represent the point it was trying to get across, racism; which I think we can all agree is very informal.
The next display that was ever so lucky to make it on my favourite list was a simple stand full of old concert tickets.
I’m not entirely sure why I enjoyed this display so much, maybe it was that it stood out against all the other display that were neatly on the wall or in their glass boxes, maybe it was because it looked like somebody could have put it together in the space of 10 minutes, I don’t know what it was exactly but it’s staying in my favourites. This display stand was put together by John Richardson, who owns the “Ripping Record” store in Edinburgh. The store sold vinyl records, CD’S and was also a popular place for people to buy their concert/gig tickets. I think that is why I enjoyed this display so much, because it holds so much memory within it about a little old record store (sadly shut down now) and makes me think back on all my memories.
My 3rd favourite is a little different to the rest of them, it was a little television screen that was playing the song “Do you want to” by Franz Ferdinand.
I liked this display because of 2 reasons, the first one is that I’ve never once heard this song, bearing in mind it came out when I was 5 years old; you would have thought that in those other 13 years I would have come across this song. I must admit it was a very catchy song and If the room wasn’t so full I probably would have started some of my dad dances. The second reason is the ability to interact with it, while walking around the exhibit that was the one thing I noticed was that a lot of the time you walk off to a display, read it and then walk away but with this one you were pulled into it and stayed around listening to it.
4th on my list is maybe more on the biased side, it’s a display dedicated to Paolo Nutini.
I remember listening to him when I was younger and I still listen to him now, there’s always been something about his music that makes me feel grounded. I think his music is a perfect piece of design that he’s created. As for the display, it tells a story, it pulled me over without even needing to see his name in BIG LETTERS, his signature guitar and shirt. It had information regarding the piece in the glass case and also about him. Most of the displays looked like this, some clothing and personal belongings from the artist and little line or two explaining what’s inside the case. To me nothing really stood about the Scottish artists glass coffins apart from the fact that one was dedicated to Paolo Nutini (that’s the biased part)
My last but certainly not least favourite was just as we were about to leave the exhibit, they didn’t have any information about the display apart from that it is album covers of famous pop artists.
That’s why it made it on my top 5 favourite because it was confusing, I spent time looking for the background to this display and it wasn’t there. I enjoyed all the bright colours contrasting with the black walls and frames, I also enjoyed seeing music that I knew about. While I was looking at this display the music of the albums I was seeing was playing in my head, I could here the tune and the lyrics; that’s another reason I liked it so much because it made me think and I could relate to it.
All and all the trip to the National museum of Scotland to see the “Rip it up” exhibition was a success. I enjoyed walking around and seeing all the displays and learning different things that I wouldn’t have even thought about researching before this. I would recommend this exhibit to everyone that can go even if you’re not that interested in the history of pop music like I wasn’t, it was still interesting to see learn facts about the artists and to see the space it’s self.
Drew Moody
