Bright, colorful and minimalist, Michael Craig-Martin's paintings and sculptures tackle the semiotics of everyday objects Michael Craig-Martin (born 1941) is an important figure in British Conceptual Art, and among the most influential artists and teachers of his generation. Since his rise to prominence in the late 1960s, he has moved between sculpture, installation, painting, drawing and print, creating works that fuse elements of Pop, Minimalism and Conceptual Art. His work transforms everyday objects--from buckets and ladders to sneakers, mobile phones and laptops--with bold colors and simple, uninflected lines. Renowned as an art educator, he has inspired generations of artists, most notably the Young British Artists (YBAs). This handsome book, the catalog of the largest exhibition of Craig-Martin's work to have been mounted in the UK, contains thought-provoking text by critics Michael Bracewell and Richard Cork and an illuminating conversation between the artist and the writer Carolina Grau.
Celebrated artist and influential teacher Michael Craig-Martin's first book is a lively mix of reminiscence, personal manifesto, anecdote and advice for the aspiring artist in a new paperback edition Few living artists can claim to have had the influence of Michael Craig-Martin. Celebrated around the world for his distinctive work, and with major retrospectives, high-profile commissions and numerous honours to his name, he has also helped nurture generations of younger artists, among them Julian Opie, Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, Liam Gillick and Gary Hume. Often described as the godfather of the YBAs, he taught by combining personal example and individual guidance, offering students encouragement, practical advice and insights gained from his own professional highs and lows. This powerful combination gave them the self-knowledge, confidence and motivation to flourish as some of the most successful figures in contemporary art. Now Craig-Martin shares the same benefit of his experiences with yet another generation. Part memoir and part instructional guide, On Being An Artist is a remarkable mix of reminiscence, personal philosophy, anecdote, self-examination, and advice for the budding artist. In a series of short episodes, he reflects with both wit and candour on the many ideas, events and people that have inspired and shaped him throughout his life, from his childhood in the postwar United States through his time as an art student at Yale in the 1960s and subsequent work as a teacher, to his international success in later years. More than the life of one of the most creative minds of our age, On Being An Artist provides lesson after valuable lesson to anyone wishing to know what it means and what it takes to be an artist today.
Born in Ireland, the artist Michael Craig-Martin studied in America. On returning to the UK, he became a key figure in British conceptual art and an influential educator, linked in particular to the YBAs including Damien Hirst and Gary Hume. Craig-Martin's works transform recognisable objects - such as sneakers, headphones, watches and, most recently, Modernist buildings - with bold colour and simplified lines. He cites his 'rationalism' as the root of his practice. Craig-Martin is the latest subject of a three-year curatorial partnership between The Gallery at Windsor, Florida, and the Royal Academy of Arts, London, initiated to celebrate the Academy's 250th anniversary. This lively book reproduces a selection of his paintings, prints and sculptures, with an insightful essay by the art critic Ben Luke and an interview between Tim Marlow and the artist. Published to accompany an exhibition at the Gallery at Windsor, Florida, 26 January - 26 April 2019. AUTHORS: Ben Luke is the art critic at the London Evening Standard. Tim Marlow is artistic director at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. SELLING POINTS: * A selection of Michael Craig-Martin's paintings, prints and sculptures, with an interview * This book is the result of a collaboration between The Gallery at Windsor, Florida, and the Royal Academy of Arts, London 45 colour images
The second half of the twentieth century has seen British artists, architects, and designers assuming a central role on the world stage. Starting in the years of reconstruction after the war, the young began to challenge accepted artistic values, looking at popular culture for their inspiration; the iconoclasm of the Pop movement has continued to be one of the most vital ingredients of the British art scene. In the year-by-year record that this book provides, the work of newcomers making their first impact is seen alongside that of outstanding artists in their maturity, with connections and contradictions across the entire visual scene-from architecture, interior design, furniture, and the decorative arts to painting, sculpture, and graphic art.
Bridget Riley has pursued a course of rigorous abstraction for some 40 years, from her celebrated black and white Op Art works in the 1960s to the complex colour paintings of the 1990s. This volume contains an illuminating series of dialogues between Riley and well-known figures from the art world.
"The women in Man Ray's life, as well as his reverence for the female form more broadly, were reflected in his jewellery. He kept the wearer in mind with each piece; never impractical or obtrusive, his jewels played with illusion, language and form as he employed the medium to further explore the artistic preoccupations of his career." Art as Jewellery is a visually stunning introduction to jewellery made by the titans of twentieth and twenty-first century art. From Salvador Dali, Man Ray, Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso, through to Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst and Grayson Perry, the great figures of modern art have all turned both thought and talent to jewellery. Often, they have eschewed the traditional jeweller's preoccupation with material value and provenance, more concerned with the conceptual or aesthetic significance of their work. As is fitting for a book that covers a range of artists, every image is as striking as it is unique. By using contemporary pictures, Art as Jewellery develops a chronological timeline of jewellery presentation. Its pages are home to a stunning variety of design sketches and photographs. Some were shot by renowned 20th century photographers, such as Ugo Mulas and Antonia Mulas, while others have been buried in archives for decades, unseen since the '60s. In contrast, modern works have been given model treatment by top photographer Alexander English, making this book a glamorous blend of new and classic jewellery art. AUTHOR: Author Louisa Guinness, collector and gallery owner, provides insightful commentary on each artist and their work. Her input can be felt on a personal level; having worked alongside many of these artists as they developed their jewellery, she is in the perfect position to reveal the personal stories behind these pieces creation. Full-page colour photographs and sketches, some showing the artist at work in the studio, or with their muse, accompany each profile. Louisa also explores each artist in the context of the genre's evolution, looking at the key exhibitions that have shaped the interest of artists and collectors. This book will be of interest to jewellery and art lovers alike. SELLING POINTS: * Includes an introduction by Vivienne Becker, an award-winning jewellery writer, and a contribution from Julia Peyton Jones, previous director of the Serpentine Gallery, London * A marvellous array of images, from archived photographs and sketches that have not been seen since the '60s, and the work of 20th-century photographers such as Ugo Mulas and Antonia Mulas, to modern shoots by Alexander English 200 colour images
Offering unique insight into the world of contemporary art, British Artists at Work looks at four generations of artists, from the established to the newly emerging. Photographs of each of the artists, taken by Amanda Eliasch during 2002 in the artists' studios, are set alongside examples of their work. The text by Gemma de Cruz provides a brief overview of who the artists are, what they do and how their work and ideas fit into the art world at this time. This book draws attention to a particular selection of what is happening now in contemporary art in London, featuring artists who are influential alongside those they have influenced. Here is an exciting and revealing behing-the-scenes look at the spaces in which these artists work, with full-page reproductions of their artworks in progress. Illustrated
