Born in Glasgow in 1934, Gray studied Design and Mural Painting at the Glasgow School of Art from 1952-57. In art school, he was given the prompt to create a picture with the subject of ‘washing day with minimum of three figures.’ Initially uninspired by this generic topic, he found his muse in a Glasgow lane shaded by tenement buildings.
While he eventually achieved recognition for his artistic talents, Gray’s best-known work is his first novel Lanark, published in 1981, which was written over a period of almost 30 years. Now a classic, Lanark has been described as ‘one of the landmarks of twentieth-century fiction’ inspiring the next generation of Scottish authors. His fiction combine elements of social realism, fantasy and science fiction, blended with a clever use of typography and his own illustrations. Gray also wrote on politics, in support of socialism and Scottish independence, themes which are reflected in his novels and artworks.
In past interviews Gray described writing as draining, while painting was ‘an invigorating physical activity that gave him energy’ (p.129, Rodge Glass). He self-illustrated his books and poems using distinctive strong lines and high-impact graphics.
From 1977-78, Gray worked as Glasgow’s official artist recorder, painting portraits and streetscapes for the People’s Palace Local History Museum. He was constantly inspired by the people and places of Glasgow and often drew his friends and their families. Gray also undertook several mural commissions across the city, including a 40ft mural for the entrance hall of Hillhead subway station in the West End of Glasgow, and the mural decoration of Oran Mor, an arts centre on Glasgow’s Byres Road. As Glasgow had a lasting impression on Gray and his artwork, and so too did he on Glasgow. Over the course of his life, his work has been widely exhibited across Scotland and is currently held by several important international collections.
