John Byrne Glasgow School of art

October 12, 2017

John Byrne real Glasgow School of art

Posted Tuesday 10th Feb 2015

Glasgow School of Art is nothing more than a fun factory': John Byrne launches astonishing attack on Mackintosh institution

BYRNE described work lost in last year's fire at the GSoA as "garbage" and says students there "have delusions of grandeur".

Having met John Byrne briefly and liked his straight forward approach so I am not surprised by this statement from him. Indeed I am amazed that there is a massive payout to students that lost work, how many of these students would have sold any of the work and as John Byrne suggests this only feeds the idea of not having to work at your chosen craft.

Making a living as an artist is very hard and most will fail but was it a good idea to pay students and then go to Venice to discuss the rebuilding of the Art School or was this just a jolly excuse to visit Venice for a wee trip.

John Byrne is is if nothing else true to himself and has had to work hard to get where he is and his opinion matters more than most.

SCOTS artist and playwright John Byrne has passed off one one of Scotland's most prestigious institutions as a "third rate night school".

Paisley-born Byrne described work lost in the Glasgow School of Art fire as "garbage" - criticising the £750,000 compensation handed to students.

Despite being a former pupil at the school, he said: "Not one of them can draw - they have delusions of grandeur.

"It's no longer an art school - it's more like a fun factory."

The May 2014 blaze that destroyed the library of the Mackintosh building was started by flammable gases from a canister of expanding foam which came into contact with the hot surface of a projector.

In an outspoken attack, the internationally-renowned artist told Highland Life magazine: "They got compensated £750,000 for the loss of their garbage.

"The students all want to be rich and famous but do f**k all.

"They all think they're going to be huge and get instant payment.

"For the vast majority of them it won't happen."

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