Join us in celebrating the life of Tony Murray, a talented artist who had a studio with Project Ability, in our ReConnect workshop. Tony’s family and friends have curated this exhibition to remember him as an artist, and to honour the amazing body of work he leaves behind.
Star Man, Tony’s life in colour, attempts to recreate the salon style ‘gallery’ that became Tony’s home. His living room was covered from floor to ceilings in his art, ranging from surreal figurative pieces to completely abstract investigations into colour and composition.
Tony’s memory lives on through these artworks, and this exhibition offers a generous view into the creative and prolific mind of Tony, known by his friends and family as, Star Man.
Tony Murray grew up in Glasgow and was educated in Glasgow and in Montana USA.
Although his love of art, shown at school, would prevail later in his life, his earlier years were spent studying and working in engineering. In the early noughties, after some major health issues, Tony moved to the artists village of Balnakeil in Sutherland.
Tony’s artwork reflects his wide- ranging interests and activities from football, space travel, nature, art, philosophy, religion, music and family and friends.
Returning to Glasgow some years before his untimely passing, at the age of 58, Tony had amassed almost 100 pieces of his own artwork, which covered the walls of his modest Glasgow flat on Glasgow’s South side.
In this exhibition celebrating Tony’s life, it is his family’s wish to recreate, as far as possible, the joyous and colourful environment of Tony’s flat for your reflection and enjoyment, and to provide an opportunity to re-connect.
So, what does a Tony Murray painting look like?
Is it the gentle tones in which he conveys his friend, backlit by sun streaming in the window or, the energy and intensity which draws us inextricably towards his ‘Astral Trance’, or the potential of the gathering storm, about to become kinetic? Perhaps, in all of these, it is the connection; whether real or imaginary, which manifests itself.
Tony always wanted his paintings to tell ‘a story’. As a well-educated and widely travelled individual, Tony had a diverse range of interests and experiences, some of which he shares with us. His work has been variously described as ‘eclectic, diverse, vibrant, psychedelic, poignant, thought -provoking’ and even, ‘disturbing’.
At Tony’s passing in the middle of 2025, he had amassed almost one hundred pieces of his own art work in his modest south-side flat. This first solo exhibition of his work re-creates that colourful environment for your consideration and enjoyment.
featured image, detail of ‘Astral Trance’ by Tony Murray
Visit
Project Ability, Project Space
3rd Floor
11-4, closed Sunday
Trongate 103, 3rd Floor
Free entry / wheelchair accessible toilet and lift to first floor gallery
