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Born Glasgow, he worked as a Post Office
engineer until war service in the Royal Navy, after which he became
a Customs Officer in Ireland and on the West Coast.
Inspired by Italian metal sculpture, he attended welding classes
at Royal Technical College (now Strathclyde University), and studied
part-time at GSA
.
Becoming a full-time artist in 1979, he specialises in mixed media,
kinetic, installation and performance art, and has developed a distinctive form of "Social
Scul?ure", humorously exploring Joseph Beuy's assertion that "all
art is questionable" (
McKenzie (1999)
).
Exhibiting regularly throughout the UK since the 1960's, his
work is represented in major public and private collections including,
GMAG
, University of Stirling and the Scottish Arts Council.
His contributions to Glasgow's Mayfest include Just In Case,
Glasgow Cross (1995), and the Straw Locomotive (1987).
For the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival he produced Arrivals and
Sailings.
An artist of international stature, his Gulbenkian Prize-winning
Paper Boat sailed down the Clyde, Sheldt and Hudson rivers in 1990.
Scotland on Sunday newspaper now gives "Paper Boat Awards" to
artists producing work of distinction.
His latest venture, a giant Crystal Ship (2000), is proposed
as a permanent feature of the rejuvenated Govan dry dock.
Wyllie has been based in Gourock since 1959.
Sources:
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