SCOTTISH author and artist Alasdair Gray has passed away at the age of 85 at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Glasgow.
Canongate books announced his death on their website this morning, sharing a message from his family.
They said: “Early this morning we lost a deeply loved member of our family.
"Alasdair was an extraordinary person; very talented and, even more importantly, very humane. He was unique and irreplaceable and we will miss him greatly.
"We would like to thank Alasdair’s many friends for their love and support, especially in recent years.
"Together with the staff of the Queen Elizabeth hospital, Glasgow, who treated him and us with such care and sensitivity during his short illness. In keeping with his principles Alasdair wanted his body donated to medical science, so there will be no funeral.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon shared her sadness at his passing, stating that Alasdair "was one of Scotland’s literary giants, and a decent, principled human being. He’ll be remembered best for the masterpiece that is Lanark, but everything he wrote reflected his brilliance. Today, we mourn the loss of a genius, and think of his family."
Lanark will always be the book that first comes to mind when we think of Alasdair Gray - and it is without doubt a modern classic. However, I think my personal favourite from his incredible body of work is this one pic.twitter.com/AHO7WLcpI2
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 29, 2019
Alasdair was known for his art and writing, including novels such as 1981's Lanark and his beautiful murals across Glasgow.
He also had a connection with The National and the former Sunday Herald, contributing art and essays over the years, as well as being a vocal supporter of socialism and Scottish independence.
In 2019, he was awarded the inaugural Saltire Society Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Scottish literature.
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