Bruce McLean
McLean was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1961 to 1963, and at Saint Martin's School of Art, London, from 1963 to 1966. At Saint Martin's, McLean studied with Anthony Caro and Phillip King. In reaction to what he regarded as the academicism of his teachers he began making sculpture from rubbish.
Also recorded as Bruce Mclean · Bruce MacLean · Bruce Mac Lean · Bruce Mc Lean
Bruce McLean
- Name
- Bruce McLean
- Born
- 1944
- Birthplace
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Education
- Glasgow School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art
- Occupation
- Artist
- Awards
- John Moores Painting Prize
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Fields
- ceramic art.
- Movements
- contemporary art.
- Languages
- English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
McLean was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1961 to 1963, and at Saint Martin's School of Art, London, from 1963 to 1966. At Saint Martin's, McLean studied with Anthony Caro and Phillip King. In reaction to what he regarded as the academicism of his teachers he began making sculpture from rubbish.
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Note VALÉORINE
Bruce McLean (born 1944) is an artist, conceptual artist and illustrator, among other activities, of British nationality. The artist was born in Glasgow.
Bruce McLean was educated at Central Saint Martins, European Ceramics Work Center and Glasgow School of Art, among others. The artist worked for Slade School of Fine Art and University College London and worked in London. Activity centred on ceramic art. The artist is associated with contemporary art.
Languages used include English. Works are held at Arts Council Collection, British Council and British Library, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 30 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q4977994 · wikipedia · Bruce McLean
In this article
Biography
Biography
McLean has produced paintings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, work with film, theatre and books. McLean was Head of Graduate Painting at The Slade School of Fine Art London He has had one-man exhibitions including Tate Gallery in London, Arnolfini, Bristol, The New Art Gallery, Walsall, The Modern Art Gallery in Vienna and Museum of Modern Art, Oxford. In 1985, he won the John Moores Painting Prize. Mclean lives and works in London. His son is the architect Will McLean.
Bruce McLean studied at Saint Martin's School of Art, Glasgow School of Art and Central Saint Martins. Christopher Muller and Thomas Lehnerer are recorded as having studied under Bruce McLean. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is ceramic art. Places of work recorded in the authority are London. Employment is recorded with University College London and Slade School of Fine Art. Work by Bruce McLean is recorded in the collections of Tate, Arts Council Collection, British Library, Walker Art Gallery and British Council.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Bruce McLean • Born — 1944 • Birthplace — Glasgow, Scotland • Education — Glasgow School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art • Occupation — Artist • Father — Will McLean • Awards — John Moores Painting Prize
Identity
Identity
Bruce McLean is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded with the occupation performance artist. Recorded as painter, university teacher, sculptor, printmaker and photographer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1944
Bruce McLean was born on 6 November 1944.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4977994: Bruce McLean
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Bruce McLean”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Bruce Mclean artist and art.the-artists.org.
- 2.Tate Collection | Bruce McLean
- 3.untitled. Queen Mary University of London.
- 4.British Council.
- 5.Bruce McLean : Studio18, Contemporary Art Dealers.
- 6.Slade School of Fine Art : Graduate Studies
- 7.Bruce McLean, Artist.
- 8.John Moores 14, 1985 – Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool museums. liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
- 9.Artist: Bruce McLean. artdiscover.com.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Bruce McLean studied at Saint Martin's School of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Central Saint Martins and European Ceramics Work Center. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.
The authorities additionally record the headings Bruce Mclean, Bruce MacLean, Bruce Mac Lean and Bruce Mc Lean. His recorded language was English. One child is recorded: Will McLean. McLean worked in ceramic art. His work is associated with contemporary art. He was employed by University College London and Slade School of Fine Art. He worked at London.
Identity and origins
Career and activity
Recognition and collections
Work by Bruce McLean is
Tate, Arts Council Collection, British Library and Walker Art Gallery
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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