Quotidian objects are draped in vibrant colours on Michael Craig-Martin's paintings. High heels, blenders, shirts, and caps become sculptural as they are depicted in bold outlines. The dazzling colour planes contrast the minimalism of the line, sharply demarcating one colour plane from the other. Craig-Martin's vigorous draftsmanship, attentive eye, and observant replication of 'things' render the familiar iconic by his audacious minimalism. Exciting and daunting, his paintings entice their audience to look again.
Read MoreThe artist traversed several mediums but made the shift to painting in the 1990s. The precise, exacting outlines are produced by carefully layering tape and paint, while the colour choices result from his artistic acumen. All paintings are made with acrylic on aluminium in Craig-Martin's dynamic hallmark style. Additionally, since 2011 the artist has been exploring powder-coated steel sculptures that are monumental in size. Appearing like thin lines in the air, they resemble large line drawings.
Martin Craig-Martin (1941, Dublin) attended Fordham University, New York (1959–1961) and Yale University (BA, 1963; MFA, 1966). He returned to Europe in the mid-60s, becoming a primary figure in British conceptual art, and by teaching at Goldsmiths College School of Art, London, (1974–1988; 1994–2000) he became influential on a generation of his students, including Gary Hume, Sarah Lucas, and Damien Hirst, who became known as the Young British Artists. His works are held in major collections worldwide.
Craig-Martin lives and works in London, UK.
Text courtesy Reflex Amsterdam.
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