Michael Craig-Martin

Irish, b. 1941

4.8k followers

Michael Craig-Martin

Bio

Irish, b. 1941

Followers
4.8k
Biography

Conceptual artist Michael Craig-Martin—who taught Damien Hirst, Gary Hume, and others at London's Goldsmiths College in the 1970s—is often called the godfather of the Young British Artists. His early work referenced Minimalism and Dada's depiction of mass-produced objects. These objects form Craig-Martin's most recognizable works, paintings in which about 200 familiar items (eyeglasses, milk bottles, scissors) are depicted both realistically and graphically, represented in lurid, unexpected color combinations and black outline. The seminal piece An Oak Tree (1973) consists of a glass of water on a shelf, paired with text declaring that the glass is, in fact, an oak tree.

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Career Highlights
Learn more about artist insights.
Blue chip status
Blue chip representation
Represented by internationally reputable galleries.
User
Solo show at a major institution
Serpentine Galleries, and 1 more
Group
Group show at a major institution
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and 5 more
Institution
Collected by a major institution
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Publication
Reviewed by a major art publication
Artforum, and 2 more
Fair
Included in a major biennial
documenta, and 1 more
Biography

Conceptual artist Michael Craig-Martin—who taught Damien Hirst, Gary Hume, and others at London's Goldsmiths College in the 1970s—is often called the godfather of the Young British Artists. His early work referenced Minimalism and Dada's depiction of mass-produced objects. These objects form Craig-Martin's most recognizable works, paintings in which about 200 familiar items (eyeglasses, milk bottles, scissors) are depicted both realistically and graphically, represented in lurid, unexpected color combinations and black outline. The seminal piece An Oak Tree (1973) consists of a glass of water on a shelf, paired with text declaring that the glass is, in fact, an oak tree.

Career Highlights
Learn more about artist insights.
Blue chip status
Blue chip representation
Represented by internationally reputable galleries.
User
Solo show at a major institution
Serpentine Galleries, and 1 more
Group
Group show at a major institution
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and 5 more
Institution
Collected by a major institution
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Publication
Reviewed by a major art publication
Artforum, and 2 more
Fair
Included in a major biennial
documenta, and 1 more
Shows Featuring Michael Craig-Martin
Articles Featuring Michael Craig-Martin
Why the Artist Who Inspired the YBAs Is Having a Comeback Right Now
Dec 8th, 2015
Why the Artist Who Inspired the YBAs Is Having a Comeback Right Now
Michael Craig-Martin’s World in Color: The YBA Progenitor Debuts New Prints and Curates RA’s Summer Exhibition
Jun 18th, 2015
Michael Craig-Martin’s World in Color: The YBA Progenitor Debuts New Prints and Curates RA’s Summer Exhibition
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