Paul McPhail is a Scottish artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores the boundaries of abstraction, perception and the built environment.
Born in 1966, McPhail studied at the Glasgow School of Art, where he developed a rigorous visual language rooted in formal investigation and material sensitivity. His work spans painting, drawing and installation, often informed by architecture, mapping and systems of order.
McPhail’s compositions are typically defined by a precise, almost meditative quality. Repetition, geometry and spatial rhythm recur throughout his practice, creating works that invite both contemplation and close inspection. His interest in the mechanics of seeing, how we interpret and navigate the visual world, manifests in a pared-back aesthetic, favouring subtle shifts in line, texture and tone over overt gesture.
Over the past three decades, McPhail has exhibited widely in Scotland and beyond, with his work featured in both public and private collections. He has contributed to a number of artist-led initiatives and is recognised for his role in shaping Scotland’s contemporary art landscape through both his practice and ongoing engagement with creative communities.
