Gallery named after George Wyllie bids to ensure artist’s legacy lives on

The Wyllieum will open in Greenock, Inverclyde, in March.
Sculptor George Wyllie with the MBE he received in 2005 for services to art. (David Cheskin/PA)
PA Archive
Ryan McDougall26 October 2023
The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

A new gallery dedicated to a renowned Scottish artist will ensure his work will reach “audiences old and new”, his daughter has said.

The Wyllieum, named after George Wyllie, is scheduled to open on March 28 in Greenock, Inverclyde.

The exhibition George Wyllie: Spires will feature at the gallery from its opening date until August 11.

The gallery is housed in the new Ocean Terminal on Greenock’s waterfront and was designed by Scottish architect Richard Murphy.

Co-curated by Will Cooper, director of the gallery, and sculptor Sara Barker, the space will also host a series of talks, events and workshops.

The Wyllieum will house the namesake artist’s largest art collection in the world, showcasing his legacy through a number of displays.

Wyllie was born in 1921, originally training as an engineer with the Post Office before joining the Navy in 1942 until 1946.

He later worked as a customs and excise officer for 30 years before becoming a full-time artist in his late 50s.

Some of his notable works include the Straw Locomotive (1987), and Paper Boat of the Origami Line (1989) – which was a paper boat so large he could stand on it when it was launched on the River Clyde.

Another well known work is the Running Clock outside Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow.

Wyllie was made an MBE for services to arts in 2005, and he died aged 90 in 2012.

Mr Cooper said: “I am in awe of the dedicated hard work of impassioned supporters who have turned their love for George into the Wyllieum, the first purpose-built gallery in the west of Scotland for over a decade.

“Our opening programme is hugely exciting – we’ll open the gallery with George Wyllie: Spires, a survey of one of George’s most ambitious protects.

“Bringing Sara Barker in to co-curate the show will ensure these works are brought into the 21st century. I can’t wait to welcome visitors into our building.”

Wyllie’s daughter Louise said: “I originally created the Friends of George Wyllie in 2011 to present a year-long festival celebrating my father’s work. At the time he was living in a care home.

“As well as sharing his work with the wider world, I wanted to stimulate him and remind of what he had achieved as an artist.

“The award-winning Whysman Festival, which ran throughout 2012, marked his 90th birthday.

“Sadly, he passed away before the end of it, but he knew the wheels were in motion and that his legacy would live on.

“The success of this multifaceted festival gave me the platform necessary to develop this and led to the creation of the George Wyllie Foundation in 2013.

“My working contribution with the foundation came to an end in 2021.

“It has been a joy to witness fresh energetic people such as new Wyllieum director, Will Cooper, lead on the future of bringing my father’s work to audiences old and new.

“As a family, we are excited about his plans. In his job as a customs and excise officer, my father spent a lot of time at the docks in Greenock where the Wyllieum now sits. His family is invested in seeing this cultural space thrive.

“We recognise in Will and foundation chair Michael Dale the drive and ability to deliver a unique arts space for my father’s beloved Inverclyde and, of course, for Scotland.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in