Alasdair Gray is one of Glasgow's most famous novelists and artists who made a considerable mark on the city. He began life in the north-east of Glasgow in December 1934 as the son of Alexander and Amy Gray with his sister Mora following two years later.
After the Second World War, Gray's father moved down to Wetherby in Yorkshire to manage a hostel for workers at a munitions factory before his family shortly followed. They moved back to Glasgow after the war and Gray began to attend Jean Irwin’s art class at Kelvingrove Art Gallery which formed some of his early artistic foundations.
Gray would go on to have a celebrated and impactful career as an educator, painter and author with pieces of his public art being part of the fabric of Glasgow and cultural touchstones of the West End.
His 1992 novel Poor Things was recently adapted into a film, which has received four Oscars after winning seven Golden Globes.
Here are 20 locations in Glasgow connected to the life of Alasdair Gray, who died in 2019 leaving a wonderful legacy in literature and art.
5. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Gray spent a lot of time in university around Cowcaddens, and even included a scene set in the Cowcaddens playpark in his seminal novel Lanark. You can view the Cowcaddens Streetscape in the Fifties in the Looking at Art gallery at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. | Creative Commons
6. The Whisky Bond
Visit the Alasdair Gray Archive at the Whisky Bond. The archive holds the collection of original visual artworks, sketches and drawings bequeathed to Gray's son Andrew. | Alasdair Gray Archive
7. Whitehill Secondary School
Although Gray was brought up in Riddrie, he attended Whitehill Secondary School where he was made editor of the school magazine and won prizes for Art and English. | Whitehill Secondary School
8. Riddrie
Alasdair Gray was brought up in a council estate in Riddrie with him being born at 11 Findhorn Street in the north-east of Glasgow. | Google Maps