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The contemporary Scottish artist who counts Star Trek legend Sir Patrick Stewart as his number one fan

6 April 2018

Rejection from Glasgow School of Art was not how Frank To intended to start his career. However, Plan B proved to be far more successful.

Acceptance to the University of Huddersfield led him to meet the man who would become his mentor — the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Sir Patrick Stewart.

“He gets what I’m doing,” said To of his number one fan.

“Patrick Stewart is a patron and supporter of my work. And I think the nearest I have to a father figure in some ways.

“Over the years he collected my work and has supported me with what I do.”

Contemporary Art With Frank To | Into It

When Patrick Strewart is your number one fan, you know you've made it!

Sir Patrick’s far from being Frank’s only admirer. The young artist was picked up by a London gallery even before he’d graduated and it proved to be a turning point.

“In the space of one hour the whole body of work sold and other galleries that rejected me at the time took notice and started giving me shows.”

Turning experience into art

Frank eventually returned to Glasgow where he now works from his own studio, but his hometown still holds painful memories of his difficult teenage years.

He recalled, “Being from a different ethnic background, which was Chinese, but also going to a secondary school which was Roman Catholic, and being brought up in the Scottish culture ... I did get severely bullied”.

However, he has sought to turn this distressing experience into something more positive.

“All artists are prone to become masochists and sadists, using their emotional pain to produce work,” laughed Frank.

“Art helped me develop my sense of identity and my sense of self.”

Patron and artist

Sir Patrick Stewart with Frank To. Image courtesy of Malcolm Cochrane.

An example of Frank To鈥檚 work

Frank To鈥檚 The Arrival of Dante, featuring 成人快手 Scotland鈥檚 Pacific Quay building
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