Mark Boyle
Encyclopedia
Mark Boyle was an artist born in Glasgow
and known for his work in the cultural UK Underground
of the 1950s around the Traverse Theatre
, and exhibiting since 1985 with Joan Hills and their children Sebastian and Georgia as Boyle Family.
The World Series (initiated in 1968) pieces involve the meticulous re-creation of randomly chosen areas of the surface of the Earth (using resin and fibreglass, as well as real materials from the site) and are exhibited widely across the world, including, in the past, the British Pavilion at the XXXIX Venice Biennale
in 1979. The Hayward Gallery
showed Beyond Image: Boyle Family in 1986. The National Gallery of Scotland
held a major retrospective Boyle Family in 2003.
While he was a prolific artist he may be best known for his work as a pioneer of light shows in music (including liquid light shows
), producing light environments for Soft Machine
and Jimi Hendrix
during the 1960s.
Amongst others he collaborated with George Brecht
, Peter Schmidt, Cornelius Cardew
, and John Tilbury
.
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...
and known for his work in the cultural UK Underground
UK underground
The Underground was a countercultural movement in the United Kingdom linked to the underground culture in the United States and associated with the hippie phenomenon. Its primary focus was around Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill in London...
of the 1950s around the Traverse Theatre
Traverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary playwrights. It also presents a large number of productions from visiting companies from across the UK. These include new plays,...
, and exhibiting since 1985 with Joan Hills and their children Sebastian and Georgia as Boyle Family.
The World Series (initiated in 1968) pieces involve the meticulous re-creation of randomly chosen areas of the surface of the Earth (using resin and fibreglass, as well as real materials from the site) and are exhibited widely across the world, including, in the past, the British Pavilion at the XXXIX Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
in 1979. The Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is an art gallery within the Southbank Centre, part of an area of major arts venues on the South Bank of the River Thames, in central London, England. It is sited adjacent to the other Southbank Centre buildings and also the Royal National Theatre and British Film Institute...
showed Beyond Image: Boyle Family in 1986. The National Gallery of Scotland
National Gallery of Scotland
The National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
held a major retrospective Boyle Family in 2003.
While he was a prolific artist he may be best known for his work as a pioneer of light shows in music (including liquid light shows
Liquid light shows
Liquid light shows or psychedelic light shows surfaced in the mid 1960s and early 1970s in America and Europe.Leading names were Glen McKay’s Headlights The Joshua Light Show/Joe's Lights/Sensefex located in NY), Tony Martin Liquid light shows or psychedelic light shows surfaced in the mid 1960s...
), producing light environments for Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
during the 1960s.
Amongst others he collaborated with George Brecht
George Brecht
George Brecht , born George Ellis MacDiarmid, was an American conceptual artist and avant-garde composer as well as a professional chemist who worked as a consultant for companies including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Mobil Oil...
, Peter Schmidt, Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
, and John Tilbury
John Tilbury
John Tilbury is a British pianist. He is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Morton Feldman's music, and since 1980 has been a member of the free improvisation group AMM.- Early life and education :...
.