Angus McPhee or MacPhee (1916–1997) was a Scottish outsider artist, who made his art by weaving found vegetation, such as grasses, into extraordinary garments. He also used sheep's wool picked from barbed wire fences, and leaves. McPhee created most of his work whilst in the Craig Dunain Psychiatric Hospital near Inverness. He chose not to speak for 50 years.
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McPhee was born into a crofting family from Iochdar, South Uist (Outer Hebrides), although he was actually born in Nettlehole, west of Glasgow, whilst his father worked as a hired hand before returning to Uist to settle when Angus was 7. As a young boy on the croft, he learnt how to make ropes and horse-harness from the abundant marram grass or muirineach on the island. He showed some skills playing music and singing, loved horses,[1] but otherwise appeared to be a normal child of a poor crofting family. McPhee served with the Lovat Scouts, and rode on horseback to join them at Beauly Castle, where the horse was sold for £70.[2] Angus was garrisoned in the Faroe Islands during World War II, where he became increasingly mentally ill. No one knew what caused this illness. He returned home on the croft, but he became mute, sullen and self-absorbed. His family noticed his animals became neglected, and soon he was moved to Larbert Asylum. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1946, and spent much of the rest of his life in Craig Dunain Hospital. There he fell completely silent and didn't speak for more than 50 years.[3]
Being described as 'the quiet big man', he was admitted to the farm ward of the hospital, Kinmylies House. There he tended the animals and worked on the lands. He was a steady and hard worker and had a particular affection for horses. During his free time, McPhee wandered the hospital grounds in search of materials and created objects woven mostly from grass, sheep wool and beech leaves. He made garments, hats, caps, pouches, harnesses and the like, which he liked to hide under the bushes. He was completely silent as to their purpose.[4]
In the 1990s, as part of the movement to return psychiatric patients to the community, Angus was moved back to South Uist, and lived until his death in the Old People's Nursing Home in Daliburgh[5] within an hours' drive of his birthplace and remaining family. Joyce Laing recalls visiting him and showing him a photograph of a favorite horse. To her surprise Angus briefly spoke, commenting on the horse. She hoped that he might eventually reveal his story to her but within a short time he died.[6]
In 1977, he was "discovered" by Joyce Laing, an art therapist. Under the influence of Jean Dubuffet and others, she was searching for 'Art Brut' artists. Laing was able to rescue a number of pieces of work by McPhee which are now in the collection of the Pittenweem 'Art Extraordinary Gallery'. She wrote the book Angus McPhee: Weaver of Grass for an April 2000 exhibition for the Taigh Chearsabhagh Art Trust in Lochmaddy, and she continued to visit McPhee until his death.
In 1997 the Mackenzie Sisters included a self-written song 'A'fighe le feur' (Weaver of Grass) on their first album Camhanach, inspired by the unusual story of Angus McPhee. Sung in Gaelic the English translation of the opening is "Have you ever heard a stranger sound than Angus McPhee knitting with grass?".[7] In 2004 Donnie Munro (ex-Runrig) included his song 'Weaver of Grass' inspired by the story of Angus McPhee in his album 'Fields of the Young'.
In 2004, a documentary was made of his life by Nick Higgins: Hidden Gifts: The Mystery of Angus McPhee (IMDB), which won the 2005 Britspotting award. This includes some home-movie footage of Angus back in Uist, towards the end of his life.
In 2011 a new book entitled "The Silent Weaver" (pub. September) by Roger Hutchinson was published, the fullest and best researched account yet of McPhee's life and his place as an artist. His story is also being developed as a theatre production, called simply 'Angus', by Horse and Bamboo Theatre.