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This poster by Ciaran Murphy is the winner of a national poster competition organized by the Scottish independence forces. He wpn £1000 and 10,000 copies of his poster were distributed throughout the country.
“His image is a vibrant call to action that subverts gender stereotypes and resonates with the creativity of the whole independence movement,” said the judges. The competition was filled with fabulous images that may be downloaded here from the Bella Caledonia website.
Ciaran Murphy is 26, grew up in Stirling and studied in Dundee. He said: “I wanted to go with just one figure, a play on Scotland the brave and from there thought of doing a defiant, strong girl in full pipers uniform to imply modernity and positive progress.”
Second prize went to Rosie Balyuzi with her heart-warming and grin-inducing ‘Big Yes Now’. It will be the centre-spread of the next Closer magazine.
In third place was the clever ‘Vote Yes for a that’ from Fraser Croall, that will be made available as a card.
The artists submitting works in the national post competition came from Glasgow, Mull, St Andrews, Dundee, Kinghorn, Orkney, Edinburgh, London and elsewhere. They are professional artists and amateurs working in different styles and forms bringing different interpretations to the task. The winner was announced at a special show in Edinburgh on September 5.
One Scottish reader commented poignantly:
As an older voter this appeals strongly to me and was my favourite but maybe I am just young at heart? I don’t think we’ve all got one foot in the grave and I think this image transcends generations and speaks powerfully of the volksgeist of the moment.
I think the mistake BT makes is to constantly appeal to cliches and moulds when in fact what is happening is that we are breaking free of all the moulds.
I like its brightness, its subversion of stereotypes, its combination of vulnerability and audacity, and of the triumph of hope over fear. I like the compassion and gentleness in her face, her openness, her quiet beauty, strength and dignity. She looks like a very principled person. I don’t see the kilted highlander so much as how we have moved on from that. This is what it says to me. It’s the powerful face of the girl. She reminds me of Chris Guthrie in Sunset Song.
The judging panel included: Elaine C Smith, visual artists: Janie Nicoll, Craig Coulthard and Calum Colvin, plus Murdo Macdonald (Prof of Scottish Art at Dundee University) and cultural commentator, Joyce McMillan.
Elaine C Smith said:
“I’ve been really uplifted by the work of all the artists who have taken part in this competition- great, intelligent, funny, well crafted and full of ideas – exactly what has been unleashed throughout this campaign. A great representation of enthusiasm, talent and politics – well done to Bella and the SIC for putting the idea together and for making sure that creativity is at the heart of the Yes movement.”
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