A talented young artist has set out to challenge the north-east’s “boy racer” culture with her degree show project – a crashed car.
Former Peterhead Academy pupil Gemma Jamieson has been a racing enthusiast on the banger circuit at Crimond Airfield for years.
Acutely aware of the damage a crash can do, the 23-year-old contemporary art practice student is now preparing to display her provocative work.
Last night Miss Jamieson said: “”I’ve been doing banger racing for a few years now, both watching and participating.
“It’s a great rush of adrenaline when you are racing but I am trying to show young drivers, who spend all this money on their cars, that it only takes two seconds of stupidity when driving to end in a crash and possibly end a life.”
The Gray’s School of Art student continued: “When you invite them to partake in a banger car race to crash they are too scared to do it. I want them to see that crashing in a race and its consequences are all too real and if it were to happen on the main road it would most probably end a life.”
Miss Jamieson, who specialises in printmaking, is also presenting a number of prints and a video of banger racing alongside the badly damaged Ford Fiesta.
The car was raced at Crimond Airfield and has been sponsored by J Williamson, a scap metal merchant in Peterhead who has provided spare parts throughout the project.
Miss Jamieson added: “The racing culture in the north-east is ripe. The A90 almost has a crash a day and there are many up my way on the country roads.
“I don’t want my work to shout out safe driving, and it is by no means a solution to the issue, but I feel it may make people think twice about things.”
The Gray’s School of Art degree show will run from June 20 to June 27.