Press

They studied at the same art school and built their careers together; they both sported luxuriant facial hair and they even shared a first name. But while Alasdair Gray has been acclaimed for his art and writing, his lifelong friend, the painter Alasdair Taylor, always shunned the limelight.

The pair and their relationship are the focus of a new exhibition, The Two Alasdairs, which aims to pay tribute to the support given by Taylor – who died last year – to Gray, while they were building their careers.

The exhibition, which opens today at the Mackintosh Gallery at the Glasgow School of Art, is the latest in a series of displays at the institution to highlight the work of past students. The art school approached Gray, 73, to mount a show several years ago, but he was uncomfortable with the idea of a solo exhibition and suggested that it should also feature the work of his long-time friend and collaborator. When Taylor died in 2007, Gray was determined that it should be a two-man show.

“His [Taylor’s] work is not as widely know as it should be,” he said. “He belonged to a generation that tended to divide artists into hermits and dominies [teachers].

It was only in the late 1980s, when Peter Howson and Stephen Campbell et cetera had their first major exhibition in New York, which sold well, and then one in London, which sold well, that the Scottish Arts Council bought their work – at New York and London prices. That was no good if you left art school 20 years earlier and your work was not known.”

Gray began studying at the Glasgow School of Art in 1952 and Taylor followed him in 1954. Although the pair did not know each other when they were students, they struck up a close friendship afterwards that led them to support and promote each other’s careers.

Despite the bond that existed between them, their respective styles differed greatly: Gray’s work was linear and figurative, while Taylor was an abstract painter.

In 1981 their paths diverged even further when Gray published his first novel, the award-winning Lanark, now regarded as one of the landmarks of 20th-century fiction.

The publicity that he received after his successful book boosted his profile as an artist, but his friend, living in a remote cottage in Portencross, in Ayrshire, had little interest in promoting himself and struggled to make a mark.

“Some people were inspired by him, but some people were annoyed by his non-commercial attitude,” Gray said. “I have had an easier time because of my writing.”

The new exhibition focuses on Gray’s treatment of Glasgow and its people. It includes work from private collections and five illustrations owned by the People’s Palace Museum, which are not normally on public display. The art school had to install a special protective black sheet over windows above the picture to prevent the rare pictures from being harmed by daylight.

Taylor’s contribution is a selection of abstract expressionist works from the vast archive of canvases he created at his Portencross studio.

Grainne Rice, exhibitions officer at Glasgow School of Art, said: “Their work developed in very different directions so stylistically you can’t always say they had a relationship, but the way they supported each other and exhibited together was a precursor of the artist-led initiatives that Glasgow is known for today.

“Alasdair Taylor was not widely recognized until recently, but with Alasdair Gray promoting his work he has become increasingly influential”.

Gray’s dearest hope is that the exhibition will persuade the National Galleries of Scotland to acquire work by his friend.

“I think his paintings are intensely good and powerful,” he said. “His daughter has a lot of his work stored, but I would like to see them in public collections.

“Like me, he didn’t exhibit enough. It is because of my writing that my paintings got attention.”