Archie Brennan

Archie Brennan (1931–2019) was a noted Scottish tapestry weaver. He served his apprenticeship at the Edinburgh Tapestry Co (later to become the Dovecot Studios) and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. He went on to work at the College establishing their department of Tapestry and Fibre Arts. He also served Dovecot as their artistic director.

Biography Archie Brennan was born in Roslin, Edinburgh in 1931. Following apprenticeship training at the then Edinburgh Tapestry Company (now Dovecot Studios) between 1947 and 1953, Brennan went on to study in France, Carlisle College of Art, and Edinburgh College of Art respectively, from 1954 to 1952.

From 1962 to 1978, Brennan held the role of Artistic Director at Dovecot Studios. Through this period, the Studios worked collaboratively with several avant-garde artists including Eduardo Paolozzi. Dovecot's weavers used Brennan's works as inspiration to create their own interpretations as part of the exhibition.

Works and inspirations Founded in traditional techniques of tapestry weaving, Brennan's practice was reflective as well as a forward looking and progressive. and in 2019 he was described as "possibly the greatest Scottish Pop artist you have never heard of". Informed by a range of subjects, Brennan’s tapestry compositions dealt with a variety of subjects and themes, often depicting textiles and people within his work. Brennan's 1977 work Chains, inspired by the mooring chains of ships at Leith docks and measuring , is held in the National Museum of Scotland.

Designed by Brennan in 1972 and woven under the direction of Fiona Mathison at Dovecot Studios in 1978, At a Window I, Spotted Dress, Second Version, 1980 is held by the Victorian & Albert Museum, London. President of the Society of Scottish Artists (1977/8)

Selected publications Brennan, Archie. (1978). Archie Brennan: tapestries & rugs. Oxford: Oxford Gallery. Brennan, Archie and the Scottish Arts Council. (1971). Archie Brennan: tapestry. Edinburgh: Scottish Arts Council. Brennan, A., Maffei, S. M., Stone, S., D'Allessandro, M., Lane, M., & New Jersey Center for Visual Arts. (2003). Contemporary tapestry: Archie Brennan, Susan Martin Maffei : November 9, 2003 – January 4, 2004.