Angus McPhee
Encyclopedia
Angus McPhee or MacPhee (1916–1997) was a Scottish
outsider artist
, who made his art by weaving found vegetation, such as grasses, into extraordinary garments. He also used sheep's wool picked from barbed wire fences, and leaves. McPhee created most of his work whilst in the Craig Dunain Psychiatric Hospital near Inverness
. He chose not to speak for 50 years.
family from Iochdar
, South Uist
(Outer Hebrides
), although he was actually born in Nettlehole, west of Glasgow
, whilst his father worked as a hired hand before returning to Uist to settle when Angus was 7. As a young boy on the croft, he learnt how to make ropes and horse-harness from the abundant marram grass
or muirineach on the island. He showed some skills playing music and singing, loved horses, but otherwise appeared to be a normal child of a poor crofting family. McPhee served with the Lovat Scouts
, and rode on horseback to join them at Beauly Castle, where the horse was sold for £70. Angus was garrisoned in the Faroe Islands
during World War II, where he became increasingly mentally ill. No one knew what caused this illness. He returned home on the croft, but he became mute, sullen and self-absorbed. His family noticed his animals became neglected, and soon he was moved to Larbert Asylum. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia
in 1946, and spent much of the rest of his life in Craig Dunain Hospital. There he fell completely silent and didn't speak for more than 50 years.
Being described as 'the quiet big man', he was admitted to the farm ward of the hospital, Kinmylies House. There he tended the animals and worked on the lands. He was a steady and hard worker and had a particular affection for horses. During his free time, McPhee wandered the hospital grounds in search of materials and created objects woven mostly from grass, sheep wool and beech leaves. He made garments, hats, caps, pouches, harnesses and the like, which he liked to hide under the bushes. He was completely silent as to their purpose.
In the 1990s, as part of the movement to return psychiatric patients to the community, Angus was moved back to South Uist, and lived until his death in the Old People's Nursing Home in Daliburgh
within an hours' drive of his birthplace and remaining family. Joyce Laing recalls visiting him and showing him a photograph of a favorite horse. To her surprise Angus briefly spoke, commenting on the horse. She hoped that he might eventually reveal his story to her but within a short time he died.
. Under the influence of Jean Dubuffet
and others, she was searching for 'Art Brut' artists. Laing was able to rescue a number of pieces of work by McPhee which are now in the collection of the Pittenweem
'Art Extraordinary Gallery'. She wrote the book Angus McPhee: Weaver of Grass for an April 2000 exhibition for the Taigh Chearsabhagh Art Trust in Lochmaddy
, and she continued to visit McPhee until his death.
In 1997 the Mackenzie Sisters included a self-written song 'A'fighe le feur' (Weaver of Grass) on their first album Camhanach, inspired by the unusual story of Angus McPhee. Sung in Gaelic the English translation of the opening is "Have you ever heard a stranger sound than Angus McPhee knitting with grass?". In 2004 Donnie Munro
(ex-Runrig
) included his song 'Weaver of Grass' inspired by the story of Angus McPhee in his album 'Fields of the Young'.
In 2004, a documentary was made of his life by Nick Higgins: Hidden Gifts: The Mystery of Angus McPhee (IMDB), which won the 2005 Britspotting award. This includes some home-movie footage of Angus back in Uist, towards the end of his life.
In 2011 the story of Angus McPhee is the subject of a new book entitled "The Silent Weaver" (pub. September) by Roger Hutchinson
, and being developed as a theatre production by Horse and Bamboo Theatre
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
outsider artist
Outsider Art
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut , a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-asylum inmates.While...
, who made his art by weaving found vegetation, such as grasses, into extraordinary garments. He also used sheep's wool picked from barbed wire fences, and leaves. McPhee created most of his work whilst in the Craig Dunain Psychiatric Hospital near Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. He chose not to speak for 50 years.
Biography
McPhee was born into a croftingCrofting
Crofting is a form of land tenure and small-scale food production unique to the Scottish Highlands, the Islands of Scotland, and formerly on the Isle of Man....
family from Iochdar
Iochdar
Iochdar , also spelled Eochar, is a hamlet and community on the west coast of the island of South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is the largest of several crofting settlements in the north-west of South Uist, and is located west of the A865 road...
, South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
(Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
), although he was actually born in Nettlehole, west of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, whilst his father worked as a hired hand before returning to Uist to settle when Angus was 7. As a young boy on the croft, he learnt how to make ropes and horse-harness from the abundant marram grass
Marram grass
Ammophila is a genus consisting of two or three very similar species of grasses; common names for these grasses include Marram Grass, Bent Grass, and Beachgrass...
or muirineach on the island. He showed some skills playing music and singing, loved horses, but otherwise appeared to be a normal child of a poor crofting family. McPhee served with the Lovat Scouts
Lovat Scouts
The Lovat Scouts were a British Army unit. The unit was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the British Army and is the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit...
, and rode on horseback to join them at Beauly Castle, where the horse was sold for £70. Angus was garrisoned in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
during World War II, where he became increasingly mentally ill. No one knew what caused this illness. He returned home on the croft, but he became mute, sullen and self-absorbed. His family noticed his animals became neglected, and soon he was moved to Larbert Asylum. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
in 1946, and spent much of the rest of his life in Craig Dunain Hospital. There he fell completely silent and didn't speak for more than 50 years.
Being described as 'the quiet big man', he was admitted to the farm ward of the hospital, Kinmylies House. There he tended the animals and worked on the lands. He was a steady and hard worker and had a particular affection for horses. During his free time, McPhee wandered the hospital grounds in search of materials and created objects woven mostly from grass, sheep wool and beech leaves. He made garments, hats, caps, pouches, harnesses and the like, which he liked to hide under the bushes. He was completely silent as to their purpose.
In the 1990s, as part of the movement to return psychiatric patients to the community, Angus was moved back to South Uist, and lived until his death in the Old People's Nursing Home in Daliburgh
Daliburgh
Daliburgh is a crofting township in Scotland situated one and a half miles west from Lochboisdale and has the second largest population of any township in South Uist.Like Lochboisdale, Daliburgh has undergone major changes in recent years....
within an hours' drive of his birthplace and remaining family. Joyce Laing recalls visiting him and showing him a photograph of a favorite horse. To her surprise Angus briefly spoke, commenting on the horse. She hoped that he might eventually reveal his story to her but within a short time he died.
Work and influence
In 1977, he was "discovered" by Joyce Laing, an art therapistArt therapy
Because of its dual origins in art and psychotherapy, art therapy definitions vary. They commonly either lean more toward the ART art-making process as therapeutic in and of itself, "art as therapy," or focus on the psychotherapeutic transference process between the therapist and the client who...
. Under the influence of Jean Dubuffet
Jean Dubuffet
Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was a French painter and sculptor. His idealistic approach to aesthetics embraced so called "low art" and eschewed traditional standards of beauty in favor of what he believed to be a more authentic and humanistic approach to image-making.-Life and work:Dubuffet was...
and others, she was searching for 'Art Brut' artists. Laing was able to rescue a number of pieces of work by McPhee which are now in the collection of the Pittenweem
Pittenweem
Pittenweem is a small and secluded fishing village and civil parish tucked in the corner of Fife on the east coast of Scotland. According to the 2006 estimate, the village has a population of 1,600. At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,747....
'Art Extraordinary Gallery'. She wrote the book Angus McPhee: Weaver of Grass for an April 2000 exhibition for the Taigh Chearsabhagh Art Trust in Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy is the administrative centre of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland...
, and she continued to visit McPhee until his death.
In 1997 the Mackenzie Sisters included a self-written song 'A'fighe le feur' (Weaver of Grass) on their first album Camhanach, inspired by the unusual story of Angus McPhee. Sung in Gaelic the English translation of the opening is "Have you ever heard a stranger sound than Angus McPhee knitting with grass?". In 2004 Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro is a Scottish musician, and former lead singer of the band Runrig.A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.-Early life:...
(ex-Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
) included his song 'Weaver of Grass' inspired by the story of Angus McPhee in his album 'Fields of the Young'.
In 2004, a documentary was made of his life by Nick Higgins: Hidden Gifts: The Mystery of Angus McPhee (IMDB), which won the 2005 Britspotting award. This includes some home-movie footage of Angus back in Uist, towards the end of his life.
In 2011 the story of Angus McPhee is the subject of a new book entitled "The Silent Weaver" (pub. September) by Roger Hutchinson
Roger Hutchinson
Roger Hutchinson is a former politician in Northern Ireland.After attending Larne Technical College, Hutchinson became a religious minister. He also joined the Orange Order. He moved into business in 1990....
, and being developed as a theatre production by Horse and Bamboo Theatre
Horse and Bamboo Theatre
Horse and Bamboo Theatre or Horse + Bamboo Theatre is a British theatre company founded in 1978 by Bob Frith. The company works with a commitment to strong narratives but using visual, physical, and music-based forms rather than text. In particular it uses distinctive full-head masks...
.