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Aye Write: Philip Miller & Matthew Plampin: The ‘Art’ of Fiction 18th Apr 2015

Philip Miller & Matthew Plampin: The ‘Art’ of Fiction

18th Apr 2015  •  12:00PM – 1:00PM  

The Mitchell Library, North Street, Glasgow

A discussion of fine art in Fiction from the author of Will & Tom and The Herald’s Arts Correspondent

Philip Miller, the arts correspondent for The Herald has published his debut novel ‘The Blue Horse’ – an engaging literary thriller about an art historian who becomes obsessed with a lost Dutch masterpiece. He is joined today by Matthew Plampin whose ‘Will and Tom’ gives us a glimpse into the early life of the infamous artist JMW Turner.

Join them both for an afternoon of discussion on the fine art of fiction chaired by Peggy Hughes.

Philip Miller has been arts correspondent for The Herald since 2002 and have covered nearly every funding crisis, personality clash, controversy and triumph in Scottish cultural life ever since. He started his career at the Glaswegian before stints as arts correspondent for the Scotsman and the Sunday Times. He won arts writer of the year at the Scottish Press Awards 2010, and was runner-up this year.

London based Matthew Plampin has lectured on nineteenth-century art and architecture and published several pieces of academic work. His first novel, ‘The Street Philosopher’, was chosen as one of Waterstone’s New Voices for 2009 and short-listed for the Waverton Good Read Award 2010. His second novel, ‘The Devil’s Acre’, was published in 2010 and was selected for the Channel 4 TV Book Club Summer Read. He lives in London.

The Blue Horse by Phil Miller, Book Launch

Recently I went along to the launch of Phil Miller’s book The Blue Horse.  It was a great night with every seat taken at the CCA.  The event was introduced by Adrian Searle of Freight Books, the publishers. The audience enjoyed hearing about Phil’s experience of writing – in the wee small hours. Probably the right time to produce a novel with such a significant amount of darkness.

It was a very friendly and relaxed event with lots of audience participation and quite a party atmosphere. Everybody loved the Blue Horse biscuits, made by Hope, Phil’s partner.

I’m enjoying reading the novel, and have been hooked from the outset by the main character, George Newhouse, a young art curator trying to make sense of his life as he takes up a new job, deals with grief and his obsession over the painting, The Blue Horse. The writing with its wonderful detail and imagery exactly suits the subject, and it’s fascinating to be immersed in the world of art, which the author is so perfectly suited to write about.

You can purchase the book at the Aye Write event on 18th April or at Freight Books.

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