This Scottish painter and
performance artist began his artistic journey at Glasgow School of Art 1961-63, followed by a stint at St Martin's School of Art, London, 1963-66. It was at St Martin's that McLean fostered a rebellious attitude towards art, being opposed to the formal approach of his superiors. This nonconformi
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This Scottish painter and
performance artist began his artistic journey at Glasgow School of Art 1961-63, followed by a stint at St Martin's School of Art, London, 1963-66. It was at St Martin's that McLean fostered a rebellious attitude towards art, being opposed to the formal approach of his superiors. This nonconformist outlook continued into his career as an artist, in which he eschewed normal studio experience, instead pursuing the creation on impermanent sculptures from materials such as water. This style perhaps highlights the importance of a fluid approach towards artwork, which can sometimes produce the best results. This same sense of fluidity is perhaps the best way to describe McLean's career in its entirety, having touched upon painting, printmaking, sculpture, film, photography, drawing, and live work. Indicated here is that artwork can be at its best when it is free- unattached to any particular style, movement or influence. McLean has also performed in order to satirize art. Specifically, he uses his own body to illustrate his ideas. A key example is Pose Work for Plinths (1971), which comprises of 12 photos of McLean posing in a humorous manner with Henry Moore's plinth-based sculptures. This is intended to be an ironic portrayal of supposed pompous attitudes attached to artwork such as Moose's. Sometimes, a little nerve and rebellion can work wonders. McLean's art career proves that.
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