Alex Flett was born in Banffshire in 1950. He studied painting at Central St Martins, Winchester School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Like most artists of his generation, the romantically charged organicist writings of the late 19th century – such as D’Arcy Thompson’s On Growth & Form, for example – had a lasting impact on his conception of form. From student to aspiring teacher, Flett studied Art Education and taught at Gordonstoun and the University of Aberdeen. Renowned early on for his printmaking skills, he collaborated with many public art organisations across Scotland (Peacock Printmakers in Aberdeen, Edinburgh Arts, Kirkcudbright International Arts Festival).
A limited number of pieces navigating between the lessons of modernism and the tools of conceptualism quickly put Flett on the international map. His prints were exhibited in the National Theatre of Amsterdam. The Snail, a personal interpretative response to English modernism (1969, then revisited throughout his career, with 2010 considered the definitive version) travelled the world. The sculpture Celtic Odyssey also helped Flett’s profile grow. This last piece, in particular, was the start of a lasting collaboration with the European Parliament.
Flett has a unique artistic relationship with the European Parliament. His partnership with the political institution began with Celtic Odyssey, a sculpture that was shown in Strasbourg. From this opportunity stemmed a solo exhibition, Aspects, initially presented in Brussels and later Bruges, Maastricht and Ayr, in the artist’s native Scotland. Following this successful collaboration, the artist was invited – via the European Parliament – to become the European advisor for the International Working Group of the ‘Amasiko’ (Cultural) Programme of the XIII International Aids Conference in Durban, South Africa. This position, coupled with Flett’s pre-existing work relating to the AIDS epidemic, led him to undertake various projects in the region.
