b. 1950, Scotland; lives and works in London, Edinburgh and France
2012 Elected as a Royal Academician
1973-77 Chelsea School of Art, London, BA and MA
Only two years after leaving art school, Jock McFadyen was offered the ‘Artist in Residence’ at the National Gallery in London. This was followed by successive commissioned projects: first by The Imperial War Museum and then by the Royal Opera House where he designed sets and costumes for Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s last ballet, The Judas Tree.
After this versatile beginning , McFadyen started to focus on urban landscapes, mainly of the East End of London, and often on a monumental scale. His friendship with writers like Ian Sinclair and Will Self, produced a number of prints and booklets and even an exhibition at Agnews. Then in 2005, with his musician wife Susie Honeyman, they collaborated to create The Grey Gallery, a nomadic entity set up with the aim of working across disciplines.