Alan Macdonald

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Euphorus.jpg Alan Macdonald (born 1962) is a Scottish artist with work that is instantly recognisable for its theatricality and humour, and for bringing together Old Master techniques with Pop modernity. Macdonald's larger scale paintings often have a central figure surrounded by smaller humans and mythological figures. Elaborate clothing and nonsensical props add to the mystery and psychology of Macdonald's work.

Working in the Western painting tradition, 'Macdonald visually acknowledges his artistic heroes like Titian, Ingres, Goya or Van Dyke but also throws a grenade, actively subverting our expectations of how the female nude, portrait, self-portrait, landscape or history painting should behave.'

Growing up in Malawi there was no television, so Macdonald's early days were filled with imaginative play' and 'in "dusty colonial libraries" he discovered books on Reynolds, Whistler and Da Vinci.

At the age of 13, Macdonald and his family moved to Dundee, Scotland where he later graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee with a BA Hons. in Fine Art (1984), followed by a Post Diploma in Fine Art from Cyprus College of Art, Paphos, Cyprus (1985).

Macdonald spent his early artistic career in London before relocating to Scotland.

In 2014-2015 his work featured in 'REALITY: Modern and Contemporary British Painting' at the Sainsbury Centre for the Arts, Norwich and Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

'Curated by artist Chris Stevens, the exhibition [brought] together over 50 works celebrating the strength of British painting,' including works by Walter Sickert, Francis BaCon, Lucian Freud, L.S.Lowry, Stanley Spencer, David Hockney, Ken Currie, Paula Rego, George Shaw, Alison Watt, and Caroline Walker.

In 2025 Madonald won the London Art Biennale 'Best Work' prize with his painting 'Euphorus.'

'Alan Macdonald's work can be found in public and private collections worldwide including : EMI London, Corinthia Hotel London, Kayley Hong Kong, WorldCom UK, Old Mutual London, Artemis Artforms Leeds, The Prudential London, Ampersand Hotel London and Scion Los Angeles.'

Alan MacDonald's wife (Carolynda Macdonald) and son (Rory Macdonald) are also artists with similar interests in fine painting that explores psychological spaces. They exhibited together as part of the 'House of MacDonald'' exhibition at Kilmorack Gallery in 2024.