Screenprint. Since the 1970s, Michael Craig-Martin has created much of his work using the same palette of fourteen vivid colours. He also uses a limited repertoire of symbols so, for example, the metronome in this work is also featured in his paintings Knowing (1996) in the Tate Collection and Inhale (Yellow) (2003) at Manchester Art Gallery. The images used are intended to be emblematic of the 'essence' of that particular article, however, their meaning alters as they are viewed within new contexts. Craig-Martin initially uses a computer to work out the composition of a work, experimenting with the size, position and colour of each component.
Michael Craig-Martin was born in Dublin, but moved to the United States as a child, returning to Britain in 1966. His first solo exhibition was at the Rowan Gallery in London in 1969. Since then he has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions, around the world. He has also taught at Goldmiths College, London, since the early 1970s and Damien Hirst, Gary Hume and Sarah Lucas are among his former students.
