Alasdair Gray’s Hidden Artworks Debut in Glasgow
Lost Creations of Scottish Master Go on Public Display
A collection of previously unseen artworks by the celebrated Scottish artist and novelist, Alasdair Gray, will open to the public this weekend at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. The works, a bequest from his wife, offer a rare glimpse into the creative process of a true polymath.
A Decade in Waiting
The nine pieces, gifted to Glasgow Life Museums in 2014 following the death of Morag McAlpine, include the original artwork for Gray’s acclaimed 1992 novel, Poor Things, which was recently adapted into a critically lauded film. These were personal gifts exchanged between the couple over the years.
The exhibition coincides with what would have been Gray’s 90th birthday. According to the Art UK website, in 2023, public collections across the UK hold over 1,300 works by Alasdair Gray, demonstrating his significant impact on the nation’s artistic heritage. (Art UK)
Exploring a Multifaceted Talent
Beyond the Poor Things artwork, the display features cover art for other books, including Old Negatives and Agnes Owens’ People Like That, as well as a piece titled A Working Mother. The exhibition reveals how Gray frequently revisited and reimagined imagery throughout his career.
Katie Bruce, producer curator with Glasgow Life, emphasized the generosity of Gray’s gift. “Alasdair Gray showed great generosity when he gifted The Morag McAlpine Bequest to the city, following the passing of his wife.
These personal gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas, include portraits later transformed into characters in his work and framed drawings for book covers and dust jackets, both for his own publications and those of fellow writers.”
She added, “It is fitting and wonderful to display this collection in a place that meant so much to Gray, and to offer audiences a deeper understanding of his innovative practice and extraordinary talent.”
A Legacy Remembered
Born in Glasgow’s Riddrie district, Alasdair Gray was a prolific artist, poet, playwright, and novelist. He passed away in December 2019 at the age of 85. Visitors to Kelvingrove can also view Cowcaddens Streetscape in the Fifties, a significant oil painting from 1964 depicting a changing Glasgow landscape.
The exhibition, located in the Fragile Art Gallery, provides a unique opportunity to connect with the artistic vision of one of Scotland’s most beloved creative figures.
