The Royal Academy delivers a pop of colour with Michael Craig-Martin for Autumn.
The big art shows are rolling in, and Sir Michael Craig-Martin delivers his largest retrospective body of work at the Royal Academy, with his newest work completed only this month.
The new exhibition is a striking showcase of his unique vision and mastery of conceptual art. The exhibition offers a remarkable overview of his influential 60-year career. Known for his bold use of colour and minimalistic representations of everyday objects, Craig-Martin’s work challenges perceptions of the ordinary, transforming familiar items like shoes, lightbulbs and laptops into vivid, larger-than-life artworks.
The retrospective begins by showcasing his slightly bizarre but incredible early pieces such as the Oak Tree from 1973 - which is a glass of water!
However, as you move through the exhibition, the space dramatically opens up to reveal his vibrant, large-scale 21st-century still lifes. These later works, filled with bold colour and simplified forms of everyday objects, highlight the evolution of his style and his ongoing exploration of the modern world through his signature conceptual approach.
Craig-Martin explores the relationship between the digital age and our increasingly symbolic understanding of objects. His flat, graphic style, marked by intense, unmodulated colour fields and crisp outlines, brings a sense of clarity and abstraction to the mundane. The works seem both hyper-modern and timeless, reflecting the way technology has shifted how we see and interpret the world around us.
Finally, and potentially the highlight of the exhibition, is Cosmos—a stunning new work created especially for this retrospective. This marks Sir Michael Craig-Martin's first-ever 360-degree digital installation, immersing visitors in a vibrant world of his iconic objects.
As you step inside, you are engulfed. Cosmos not only encapsulates Craig-Martin’s evolution as an artist but also serves as a dynamic celebration of his enduring impact on contemporary art.
“It’s a summation of the cosmos, of my cosmos, of what I’ve done”.
Royal Academy of Arts
Opens 21 September - 10 December 2024
Tickets are priced from £22-24.50