Richard Demarco

Arts entrepreneur Richard Demarco agrees with Joseph Beuys, “We are all artists…give a child a piece of paper and what is the first thing they do? They make a mark on it.”

Tonight he was our guest of honour as he officially opened our 5th annual showcase exhibition of Forth Valley Open Studios, held this year in the Macrobert arts centre.

A charismatics and controversial figure, he has been a thorn in the flesh of the Edinburgh establishment for many years as he challenged conventional ideas of art. He brought Joseph Beuys to Edinburgh and there were some artists tonight who remembered the event and the controversy it caused.

Demarco is a man who thrives on shaking up and challenging beliefs, particularly in the art world.

He has scant regard for art colleges and he was delighted to learn that many of our artists had never been near an art school.


Tonight I learnt he was in school with Eduardo Paolozzi. Because they were both Italians they were made to sit next to each other in school in Edinburgh.



As for the “yes” campaign he has little patience with it seeing it as delusional optimism on the part of some politicians to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK.


More photos in blipfolio Demarco.