Bruce McLean

Born in 1944, Scottish artist Bruce McLean is a leading figure in British contemporary art. Not confined to any one medium, the interdisciplinary artist works across sculpture, performance art, mixed media and painting. His famous abstract paintings and prints are formed from a multitude of different techniques and materials.

Bruce Mclean’s Approach

Bruce regularly adds collage and hand painted motifs to his work, and his monoprints are often produced on wood or other surfaces in addition to paper. With his aptitude for so many different mediums, Bruce uses formal and conventional artistic language to mock the art world. With an approach that is both provocative and probing, Bruce constantly seeks to challenge the traditions of art, frequently using satire to parody the inbuilt hierarchies of artistic customs.

Education and Awards

Bruce began his studies at Glasgow School of Art and continued his training at Central Saint Martins. Over the course of his career, Bruce has won a number of prestigious awards, including the John Moores Painting Prize in 1985, the Sainsbury Award for Sculpture and the Mercedes Benz Prize for painting. By age 27, Bruce had a solo exhibition at the Tate Gallery in London before going on to teach art, most notably becoming the head of graduate painting at the Slade School of Fine Art.

Notable Collections

Bruce McLean’s art can be found in private and public collections worldwide. The multi-media artist’s work is on show at some of the world’s most influential galleries, ranging from Tate Britain and the Victoria & Albert Museum to the Modern Art Gallery in Vienna. Favoured for its colourful aesthetic and abstract tendencies, Bruce’s work also decorates the walls of the Dorchester Collection hotel in London.

Read more on Bruce McLean in our article featuring some of the artist’s recent work.