Will Maclean's Unique Scottish Art Celebrated In A London Retrospective

Written by Angus Mackenzie Tuesday, 24 January 2012 00:45

London.- An important retrospective exhibition of works by the renowned Scottish artist Will Maclean is in display at The Fleming Collection, from 8 March to 4 June 2011. The show, entitled 'Will Maclean: A Survey Exhibition 1970-2010', includes loans from public and private collections as well as works from The Fleming Collection’s own holdings. It coincides with the publication of a new book Will Maclean: Collected Works 1970-2010 by The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation, the charity which runs The Fleming Collection. Maclean is internationally recognized as a foremost exponent of box construction art. Using found objects which he deconstructs and reconstructs in a display of visual thinking that is compelling, Maclean has developed a unique visual and poetic language.

Reductive and honed, his metaphorical art is based on the histories and mythologies of those who live and work by the sea. His deep interest in Highland culture reaches out to universal themes of navigation, emigration, whaling and fishing, and global exploration. There is always strong narrative contained in these fascinating works, though immediate interpretations can be elusive. He has exhibited widely since 1967 in both group and solo exhibitions and a major work was acquired for the new Scottish Parliament building and commissioned sculptures and collaborative works can be seen in Skye, Lewis and elsewhere in Scotland. The exhibition will be accompanied by a new publication.

Will Maclean was born in Inverness into a family of fishermen in 1947. After spending two years in the Merchant Navy from the age of fifteen, he studied at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, from 1961 to 1967. In 1973 Maclean was commissioned by the Scottish International Education Trust to make a detailed study of the declining Scottish ring net fishing industry. This resulted in a collection of some 400 works that were exhibited in Glasgow and later became part of the permanent collection at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. Since 1974 Maclean has made assemblages using found objects from the shore, as well as specially constructed items. Inspired by historical, literary and mythological aspects of Scottish seafaring history, Maclean's box constructions are visual tales of the sea.




Maclean has had a long and distinguished academic career. Appointed a lecturer at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at the University of Dundee in 1981, he remained there for 15 fruitful years. In 1994 he became Professor of Fine Art and from 2004 to 2006 was Senior Research Fellow. He is now Emeritus Professor at the College. He was elected as a Royal Scottish Academician in 1991 and eight years later was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of St Andrews. He received an MBE for services to education and the arts in 2005 and lives and works in Tayport, Fife with his wife, the artist Marian Leven.

Maclean has exhibited widely both in Britain and internationally. In 1999 his exhibition Cardinal Points toured in the United States and Canada and group shows have included Worlds in a Box at Edinburgh City Art Centre and Whitechapel Art Gallery in London, and Contemporary British Art in Print at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. A major work was acquired for the new Scottish Parliament building and commissioned sculptures and collaborative works can be seen in Skye, Lewis and elsewhere in Scotland. Visit the artists website at ... http://www.artfirst.co.uk/will_maclean/index.html

The Fleming Collection is a large collection of Scottish art started by the Scottish banking firm Robert Fleming & Co. to decorate their London offices. Founded in Dundee, the company wanted the artwork on the London office walls to reflect their heritage. The collection is currently administrated by The Fleming-Wyford Art Foundation, created to secure the collection should the original bank run into financial difficulties. The collection contains art from the mid 18th century to the present by a large selection of Scottish artists and is located in Berkeley Square, London.The Fleming Collection holds regular exhibitions drawn from the Collection as well as loans from public and private collections of Scottish art which can be viewed in the specially designed gallery free of charge. The permanent Collection is widely recognised as the finest collection of Scottish Art in private hands and was originally conceived as a corporate collection in 1968 for Robert Fleming Holdings Ltd in the City of London. Since 2000 the collection has belonged to The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation which aims to promote Scottish Art to a wider audience. The collection consists of works by many of Scotland's most prominent artists, from 1770 to the present day, including works by early nineteenth century artists, the Glasgow Boys, the Scottish Colourists, the Edinburgh School and many contemporary Scottish names. Visit the Fleming Collection's website at: http://www.flemingcollection.co.uk/index.php

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