Abigayle Brown - Museum Intern, East Ayrshire Leisure

Growing up close to The Dick Institute and Dean Castle, some of these objects conjure lovely memories of visiting as a child to see where the butterflies used to be displayed in the upstairs landing, and visit Brian the Lion in the galleries. Now I'm older and working with these collections, it's a challenge to choose just a few, but those I have chosen demonstrate the eclectic variety of objects housed within our public venues.     As a Museum Intern working primarily with objects related to the Dean Castle Restoration Project, I have chosen the poignard as a striking example of the craftsmanship of 16th century weaponry with its flamboyant blade and silver applique foliage decoration.   Munro's Poetic People is a mesmerising piece of contemporary art that plays with language and mixes the urban world with translucent poetry to communicate with the viewer, and is capable of both evoking nostalgia and imagining the future through its neon haze.   Lastly, Alexander Duncan's Woman and Vase with Flowers was chosen for the warm textures and the woman's slightly slouched posture and thoughtful expression that suggest a late afternoon read during the Summer. I wonder: what is she reading?