John Byrne, a Scottish artist, playwright, and author, passed away on December 3, 2023, at the age of 83. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential and original figures in the Scottish cultural scene, with a prolific and diverse body of work that spanned various genres and media. In this article, we pay homage to his remarkable life and legacy, and celebrate his contributions to the arts and society.
A Self-Taught Genius with a Distinctive Style
John Byrne was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on January 6, 1940, to a working-class family. He showed an early talent for drawing and painting, and taught himself the basics of art by studying books and visiting museums. He attended St Mirin’s Academy, where he excelled in art and English, and won a scholarship to study at the Glasgow School of Art in 1958.
There, he developed his distinctive style of painting, which combined realism, expressionism, and surrealism, with influences from folk art, comic books, and pop culture. He often used bright colours, bold strokes, and quirky details to create vivid and imaginative scenes that reflected his own personality and experiences. He also experimented with different materials and techniques, such as collage, woodcut, and mixed media.
He graduated in 1963 with a diploma in drawing and painting, and began his career as a freelance artist and illustrator. He worked for various magazines, newspapers, and publishers, creating covers, cartoons, and posters. He also exhibited his paintings in solo and group shows, and received critical acclaim and recognition for his original and innovative work.
A Renowned Playwright and Screenwriter with a Flair for Comedy and Drama
John Byrne was also a gifted writer, who wrote plays, screenplays, novels, and short stories. He began writing plays in the late 1960s, and his first play, Writer’s Cramp, was staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1977. It was a satirical comedy about the life and work of a fictional artist, Francis Seneca McDade, who was based on Byrne himself.
His breakthrough play was The Slab Boys, which premiered at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in 1978. It was the first part of a trilogy that followed the lives and struggles of a group of young working-class men who worked as slab boys in a carpet factory in Paisley in the 1950s. The play was a hit with audiences and critics, and was praised for its witty dialogue, realistic characters, and poignant themes. It was followed by Cuttin’ a Rug in 1979 and Still Life in 1982, which completed the trilogy.
Byrne also wrote plays for radio, television, and film, and adapted some of his own works for the screen. He wrote the screenplay for the film version of The Slab Boys in 1997, which starred Robin Laing, Russell Barr, and Julie Wilson Nimmo. He also wrote and directed the film adaptation of his novel The Vanishing Army in 1986, which starred Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, and Robbie Coltrane.
One of his most popular and successful works for television was Tutti Frutti, a six-part comedy-drama series that aired on BBC One in 1987. It starred Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Richard Wilson, and Maurice Roeves, and followed the exploits of a Scottish rock and roll band in the 1980s. The series won six BAFTA awards, including Best Drama Series and Best Screenplay, and was hailed as a classic of British television.
A Versatile and Visionary Artist with a Lasting Impact
John Byrne was a versatile and visionary artist, who explored various forms and genres of art and literature, and created works that were original, engaging, and influential. He was also a passionate and outspoken advocate for Scottish culture and identity, and used his art and voice to challenge stereotypes, prejudices, and injustices. He was honoured with several awards and accolades, including the OBE in 2004, the Herald Archangel Award in 2016, and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Scottish Culture Awards in 2019.
He is survived by his partner, Jeanine Davies, and his four children, John, Alice, Ambrose, and Leo, from his previous marriages to Alice Simpson and Tilda Swinton. He also leaves behind a legacy of works that will continue to inspire and entertain generations of audiences and readers.
