tue 10/12/2024

theartsdesk Q&A: Artist/Dramatist John Byrne | reviews, news & interviews

theartsdesk Q&A: Artist/Dramatist John Byrne

theartsdesk Q&A: Artist/Dramatist John Byrne

The Scottish polymath discusses Slab Boys, Swinton, Sean Penn - and Tutti Frutti

John Byrne: 'I wouldn’t want to reveal anything. That’s the whole point.'www.johnbyrneart.com

"I’m very hard to categorise,” says John Byrne (b 1940), tugging at his magnificent moustache. A restless, defiant, shape-shifting polymath who was an exponent of multimedia long before computers ruled the world, Byrne's singular career is perhaps doomed to gentle underappreciation simply because he can do so much so well. “If you’re hard to categorise they don’t like that." He peers into his coffee as though looking for something. "Whoever 'they' are.”

"I’m very hard to categorise,” says John Byrne (b 1940), tugging at his magnificent moustache. A restless, defiant, shape-shifting polymath who was an exponent of multimedia long before computers ruled the world, Byrne's singular career is perhaps doomed to gentle underappreciation simply because he can do so much so well. “If you’re hard to categorise they don’t like that." He peers into his coffee as though looking for something. "Whoever 'they' are.”

I wouldn’t want to reveal anything. The artistic truth is absolutely true, as opposed to the bare truth, which is just exposing yourself

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Thank you for this wonderful interview. I saw The Slab Boys in Edinburhg in 1978 and was also one of those who waited a long time for Tutti Fruti to finally come out on dvd/ John Byrne is a unique talent - what a shame these kind of mavericks are no longer encouraged to create new work for the masses!

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