Landscape Painting
About this artwork
This is one of a group of photographs which record 'sculptures' made at Largybeg on the Isle of Arran in 1968. They all feature a huge roll of photographic paper on which McLean spilt water-based paint, so that he was literally 'painting' on the landscape. Deliberately undermining the self-importance of much contemporary art, these ephemeral works were thrown away after being photographed. They also make a witty comment on Land Art, which was becoming popular in the late 1960s. The long roll of paper is reminiscent of land artist Richard Long's use of the line in his photographs.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Bruce McLean (born 1944) Scottish
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title:Landscape Painting
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date created:1968
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materials:Colour photograph with transfer-text
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measurements:31.20 x 31.00 cm (framed: 32.70 x 32.70 x 1.20 cm)
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased 1990
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accession number:GMA 3572
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gallery:
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subject:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
Bruce McLean
Bruce McLean
Born in Glasgow, McLean studied at Glasgow School of Art and, from 1963 to 1966, at St Martin's School of Art in London. Influenced by tutor Anthony Caro, McLean experimented with making formalist, floor-based sculpture in materials such as steel and fibreglass. However, by 1967 he was beginning to...