FOR more than 30 years he has been a bastion of the arts as a board member, president and trustee of many of Scotland's leading cultural institutions.
But now Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden, one of the key figures in the revitalisation and refurbishment of Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, is to reduce his public roles at the age of 85.
Born Norman Macfarlane in Glasgow in 1926, one of Scotland’s most successful businessmen has not only stood down from the board of Glasgow Life, which runs the city’s art galleries, museums and libraries, but is to leave his honorary positions at Scottish Ballet, where he is president, and the Glasgow School of Art, where he is honorary president.
However, he is to remain honorary life president of the drinks giant Diageo, and will retain his involvement in Gleneagles, which is owned by Diageo, and golf.
In what could be viewed as a final tribute to Lord Macfarlane’s influence, a new, permanent, exhibition of the works of the Glasgow Boys is to be opened at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum next week.
It pays homage to the ground-breaking success of Pioneering Painters: The Glasgow Boys 1880-1900, a show seen by 243,289 visitors, which led to a fruitful relationship between the Kelvingrove and the Royal Academy in London.
The Glasgow Boys room, which will be opened next weekend, was previously hung with works by the Boys and the Scottish Colourists, who will now have their own room on the gallery’s first floor.
Lord Macfarlane was chairman of the Glasgow Boys exhibition committee and is delighted with the establishment of the ground floor display – which features works by Guthrie, Walton and other Boys not been shown for some time, including Lavery’s Maidenhead Regatta and Walton’s A Surrey Meadow.
“I always took the very strong view that the Glasgow Boys had enormous potential with their quality, their situation and history,” Lord Macfarlane said.
“When I was a much younger man and deeply involved in business, and I had lot of American business friends who were also interested in the arts, they would come and say to me, ‘Where shall we go to see the Glasgow Boys?’ and I would say: ‘Kirkcaldy’, because that’s where the best exhibition was.
“It is fitting they have their own room at Kelvingrove now. I am very pleased about it.”
He will remain “deeply involved” in drinks firm Diageo as its honorary life president. Of his withdrawal from three cultural bodies, Lord Macfarlane told The Herald: “I decided that it was high time, being 85.
“In this period I will resign from Scottish Ballet at the end of the year. I joined the board in 1976 and I have been president for the last 10 years.
“I thought that was enough. I have resigned from being honorary president of Glasgow School of Art and I have resigned from Culture and Sport Glasgow [now Glasgow Life]. That gets me out of three major things. At my stage of life, I am better out of those things.
“Kelvingrove? People ask me how long I have been involved in Kelvingrove. I always say, for more than 80 years, since I first visited as a boy.”
Lord Macfarlane is particularly proud of the part he played in raising more than £12 million for the refurbishment of the museum and art gallery.
He said: “When I was doing Kelvingrove, my story was always this: I would be walking up Byres Road, and I would meet these ladies and they would always say: ‘I hear you are involved in the changes at Kelvingrove. We are proud of it – and we hope you don’t spoil it.’ Everyone is proud of Kelvingrove in an extraordinary way.”
Councillor George Redmond, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: “Lord Macfarlane has ably shown that both the arts and business can work together to produce something truly unique.
“His stewardship of the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal produced spectacular results and his vision with regard to the Glasgow Boys has ensured that this loose group of artists are finally enjoying the recognition they deserve.”
The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Bob Winter, said: “Lord Macfarlane is a true Glasgow Boy and throughout both his business and cultural endeavours, he has made sure the city is uppermost in his thoughts.
“His remarkable achievements earned him the title as Freeman of the City and his legacy includes the incredible funds he helped to raise for the refurbishment of Kelvingrove and his dedication to a group of artists who put Glasgow on the map.”
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