Glasgow artist's mission to send Billy Connolly mural copy

Glasgow Times

22-06-2025

Not in the flesh, but on the boards on which the artist, Conzo Throb, painted the mural of the legendary comedian in the city centre earlier this year.
The boards have been reunited with him, and he plans to give them a new home, he's also set himself the mission of getting a copy of the artwork to The Big Yin.
Conzo put together a heartfelt personal package with a handwritten letter and a copy of the artwork and has sent it to Billy in safe hands.
Glasgow artist's mission to send Billy Connolly mural copy (Image: Colin Mearns)
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He spoke to us about the inspiration behind the mural, which he says has "changed his life."
Conzo, 37, explained: "It was two funny men that started this fire in me to make this. Billy Connolly, obviously, and the late great John Byrne.
"I've had this idea for years of painting Billy Connolly naked specifically, because I was dared to by my flatmate and friend, Panda, to paint a mural next to a big Billy Connolly mural that already exists, and it didn't feel right at the time.
"A great wall appeared outside where Dishoom is going to be on Nelson Mandela Square, and it triggered the idea that the time was right to paint this mural of Billy's bare a**e huge on a big 18ft by 16ft canvas."
Conzo says the mural has changed his life (Image: Colin Mearns)
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He goes on to credit Billy's book, Windswept and Interesting, for helping him get through a "really tough time" in the past few years, and how learning about the comic's life let him "give himself the permission slip" to follow his dreams.
Conzo also took ideas for the mural from the book, he said: "In Billy's book, in the very first chapter, he talks about his love of being naked, the absolute freedom of it, and I figured that's just a beautiful thing to have painted.
"A very funny one as well, and to paint it without permission makes it even funnier, and to get away with it and even have people tell you that they loved it and cheered them up was an unexpected but definitely pleasant surprise."
Conzo had help from friends and fellow artists Ciaran Globel and Panda, with whom he recently opened their art gallery, Grateful Gallery, in Garnethill.
He took some inspiration after the idea had formed from John Byrne's 2002 painting of Billy that hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Conzo said: "In the very left corner was a very small painting of Billy streaking naked, and I just thought it was hilarious because I had a core childhood memory of Billy being naked on the TV, and so do a lot of people."
John Byrne was born in Paisley and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1958 to 1963. He worked as an artist, playwright and theatre designer.
Conzo mixed up a special shade of pink for the mural (Image: Colin Mearns)
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Conzo made 50 screenprints of the mural, with the very first one being put in the package that's been sent to Billy.
Speaking about the special package he's sent to Billy, Conzo said: "When he opens the tube, he'll get this beautiful big newspaper with the front page of his bum that made it the next day.
"So, hopefully it's going to bring him a big laugh. That's what I'm hoping for.
"First thing, he's sipping his morning tea, and then he just gets this beautiful package of just a good self-portrait of him being naked and just gets a big laugh.
"That's the ultimate goal."
Conzo sent a package including a personal letter to Billy (Image: Supplied)
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Conzo continued: "And yeah, I wrote him a nice little personal letter just appreciation and telling him why I did this as well as about how he and his best pal John Burn totally inspired me and helped change my life route completely over the past three years."
"He's helped many people, but it really helped me just give myself a permission slip to chase this whole dream of being an artist and not feeling bad about it or having to ask others if I'm allowed to do certain things.
"So, it's just a big ode to these legends. It's like a two-in-one. It really is."
Conzo has big plans for the mural boards (Image: Colin Mearns)
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Now that he's been reunited with them, Conzo hopes to have the boards displayed in public again or auctioned off for charity.
The People's Palace is his ultimate goal, for the work to be displayed in the same place as Billy's big banana boots.
Conzo's favourite part of the mural is the nipple ring, he explained: "In his book Windswept and Interesting, he talks about how he got his nipples pierced just for fun.
"And when he did a movie, he had to take them out for a swimming scene. And throughout this movie, filming in the ocean, his wounds healed up, so he could no longer have his nipples pierced.
"I just love that story. It's just funny, it's a nice little detail, it's the tiniest part of the whole mural, and it's a little sparkling, beautiful thing."