Teacher, writer and critic

Born: 4 March 1951

Died: 11 August 2018

John Calcutt, who has died suddenly at the age of 67, was an influential and much loved teacher at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) who significantly shaped and informed the contemporary visual art scene in Scotland and beyond, nurturing the careers of many of the country's most celebrated and critically acclaimed artists.

Known and respected by generations of students at GSA, latterly as course leader of the internationally-renowned Masters of Fine Art (MFA) programme, he formally retired as head of the course in January 2017 but continued to teach. He was due to deliver a lecture earlier this month but didn't show up, raising concerns for his welfare as this was out-of-character. He was found dead at his home in the west end of Glasgow a few days later, having suffered an aneurysm.

Modest, inspiring and enigmatic, Calcutt was one of a group of influential teacher on the MFA course, which has produced a number of Turner Prize winners and nominees. Artist and teacher, Sam Ainsley, whom he succeeded as course leader, described him as "the most brilliant tutor, endlessly patient and supportive of students work but with the most refined critical sensibility I have ever known."

Born in 1951 in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, Calcutt chose to come to Edinburgh in 1969 to study Fine Art at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art, but after two years, realising his interests lay in the thoughts, processes and concepts of creation, rather than the practical act of making, transferred from fine art to the History of Art department, gaining an MA (Hons) in 1973, specialising in European Art c.1750-1850. He completed his formal education at the University of London, Courtauld Institute of Art in 1974, gaining an MA specialising in Realism in European Art, c.1830-1860.

He began his career in academia soon after as Senior Lecturer in History and Theory of Art and Design at the University of Central Lancashire (formerly Lancashire Polytechnic), where he worked for twelve years before returning to Scotland in 1987 to take up a position of lecturer in the Historical and Critical Studies Department at GSA. In 2005, he became senior lecturer on the MFA course, before succeeding Ainsley as programme leader in 2007, working with another friend and colleague, artist Graham Ramsay. As well as devising the MLitt in Fine Art Practice Course at GSA, he was also its programme leader from 2012-16. He continued to work at the school after he retired in January 2017, when he became Director of Bureau de Change, a pioneering Postgraduate Forum to hothouse and nurture recent graduate talent.

Although he spent 44 years working within higher education institutions, John Calcutt was no stuffy academic, and equally enjoyed sharing his deep and wide knowledge and love of both historical and contemporary art practices with fledging arts professionals and art lovers, by teaching on the Open University summer school on a range of topics including Modern Art and Modernism and Modern Art: Practices and Debates. He also lectured on the Department of Adult and Continuing Education introductory courses on Modern Art at the University of Glasgow.

A respected member of the wider higher education community, Calcutt acted as an external examiner at higher education establishments throughout the UK. He was closely involved with various arts organisations, including Glasgow Print Studio and CCA, Glasgow. He was also a researcher and nominator for the Beck’s Futures Prize and also spend a period as art critic of Scotland on Sunday newspaper.

Following his death, friends and colleagues all paid tribute to his generosity of spirit, especially when it came to giving his own time and critical powers. He wrote critical essays on the work of a host of artist colleagues and former students; including; Sam Ainsley, Kenny Hunter, Alison Watt, Beagles & Ramsay, Jenny Saville, Graham Fagen and Douglas Gordon to name just a few.

His friend, David Watt, chief executive of Arts and Business Scotland described him as 'a true Renaissance man'."John's knowledge and interests stretched way beyond teaching. He was a curator, critical writer and sporadically followed his original academic interests as an exhibiting and performance artist. He also had an eclectic taste in and knowledge of classical and contemporary music, and regularly attended concerts and performances; from seeing James Brown in Central Park, New York with long-term friend and artist Andrew Scott; John Shuttleworth at the Renfrew Ferry in Glasgow; Dwight Yoakam at the Glasgow Concert Hall; the Dunedin Consort performing Bach Violin Concertos at Greyfriars Church in Edinburgh; to collecting the Beatles autographs after a concert in Cheltenham on the 1st of November 1963.

" He was a gifted guitarist, having taken up the instrument when he was nine years old when his electrical whizz father made him a homemade guitar and a homemade record player for his older sister Liz. John’s first band, The Minors, soon built up a reputation on the local gig circuit around Cheltenham, and he continued to form bands and play with friends throughout his academic studies and beyond.

"John’s love of the guitar extended to the physical aesthetic of the instrument, often praising the sculptural forms of his extensive collection of over 20 guitars ranging from Gretsch electric and acoustics to Fender Telecasters; some displayed like artworks in his home. His collecting interests also as would be expected extend to contemporary visual art – books and prints, with a particular passion for pop art. His living room was a homage to the Warhol, Jasper Johns and Ed Ruscha prints that shared pride of place on the walls alongside his guitars.

"John was also funny, generous and loved watching sport as a keen supporter of Cheltenham Town, Preston North End football clubs and his beloved Eng-er-land – as he called them! During the UEFA Euro 1996 match between England and Scotland, with the latter trailing 0–1, they were awarded a penalty. He bet his friend Andrew Scott £20 that Scotland captain Gary McAllister would miss the kick, which he did, and Scotland lost and were eliminated. Andrew paid the bet, but John insisted on buying the beers for the rest of the evening."

Calcutt was a keen traveller and at the time of his death had been eagerly anticipating trips to Philidelphia and Buffalo. He travelled extensively for both work and pleasure, accompanying Glasgow School of Art Printmaking staff and students on memorable trips to New York, Madrid, Istanbul in the early 1990s. He also arranged annual trips and exhibitions for students on the MFA programme to Berlin; accompanied friends and colleagues Sam Ainsley, David Harding and Sandy Moffat on a trip to Cuba; acted as visiting tutor at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; visiting lecturer at La Esmeralda Art School, The National Institute of Fine Arts, Mexico City and the National Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest and Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

Every summer, he accompanied close friends David Watt and wife Deirdre MacKenna and their children on trips to their family home in rural Italy where he was loved and respected by the local community.

John Calcutt will be remembered as the epitome of an English gentleman, youthfully dapper in Paul Smith suits and brogues, roll-up cigarettes to hand, telling stories, dispensing advice and deflecting attention from himself.

Calcutt never married although he had a couple of significant loves in his life. He didn't have children of his own but took great joy in his role as uncle and Godfather. He is survived by his parents Paul and Lilian, his sister Liz and her husband Tom, their children Rose and Dan, his brother Steve and his daughter Caroline, and his God-children Ivana and Vito, children of David Watt and Deirdre MacKenna.

Jan Patience