Kane Mclay

Kane Mclay was one of Compass Gallery’s specially selected New Generation artists, invited to exhibit in the gallery immediately following his degree show at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. His work was outstanding and he was deservedly awarded a John Kinross scholarship which took him to Florence, Italy where he is currently living and working. Inspired by the beauty and animalistic nature of human form, he has had two solo exhibitions in Italy and exhibited with The Royal Scottish Academy, The Royal Glasgow Institute and regularly with Compass Gallery, Glasgow.

Kane's statement from the New Generation Show in 2017:

"Observing the human form through drawing, painting and printmaking, I explore the themes of presence and truth. My aim is to make work that portrays the animalistic and primitive parts of ourselves that make up the 'being' in all animal and human life, our truth. My work resonates with emotional intensity, emphasised using dramatic tonal contrast and abstract mark making, balanced alongside anatomical form and movement to portray the essence and changing presence of our primitive selves.

The act of drawing and painting has a humbling effect. The continuous process of giving over control, experimenting and staying open is extremely challenging but holds great personal value. The constant push/pull interplay between objective realism and abstract expressionism is where the need to return to drawing keeps my practise focused, original and true in order to continue developing."