John Byrne: Father of the Man

Scottish artist and playwright John Byrne MBE RSA (b.1940) worked directly with Dovecot's Jonathan Cleaver to produce Father of the Man for the Carpets of Distinction rug collection, which explored connections between the spheres of art and craft and the mass-produced culture of industrial design. The Carpets of Distinction project brought Dovecot together with two of the most significant Scottish industrial textile companies of the time: Stoddard International plc and James Templeton & Co Ltd.

This particular rug, made by Jonathan Cleaver in collaboration with Byrne, takes inspiration from the history of industrial carpet design through reference to traditional motif and pattern whilst acknowledging the central role of the artist. Byrne’s acclaimed trilogy The Slab Boys, written in 1978, drew upon his own pre-art school experiences in the colour-mixing room of the Stoddard carpet factory in Paisley.

Edition 2/8 is available to commission. Please contact info@dovecotstudios.com for more information.