What’s the point of it?

In London Hayward Gallery hosts “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, the first and most comprehensive survey of work by British artist Martin Creed.

The exhibition “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, which spans the entire Hayward Gallery, including its outside terraces, unveils a series of exciting new commissions, and brings together the full range of Creed’s work.

Featuring over 160 works, it includes Creed’s most discreet moments – a spot of blu-tack – as well as his eccentric and extravagant room-sized installations, neons, sequential sculptures, kinetic installations, films, and vibrant paintings.

Martin Creed (1968) is best known for his Turner-prize winning installation Work No. 127 The Lights Going On and Off (1995), which is included in the exhibition and disrupts the viewer’s experience of the gallery space. Applying the systematic qualities that are so often present in his works, for this Hayward Gallery retrospective, Creed has created a monumental new piece – Work no. 1812 (2014) – a colourful wall of bricks and mortar, made of 80 different types of bricks that overlooks Waterloo bridge.

As visitors enter the exhibition, they are confronted by a room-filling, rotating neon and steel structure spelling out “Mothers”. Also in the first room is Work No. 112 (1995-2004), 39 metronomes simultaneously tick at different speeds creating a cacophony of sight and sound that continues throughout the exhibition. Another highlight of the exhibition is Work No. 200 (1998), a room half-filled with white balloons which creates a joyous and chaotic social experience as visitors negotiate the space. This work is contained by another brand-new piece Work No. 1804 (2014), a wall made of steel and 39 differently coloured and textured varieties of glass.

Giant paintings fill entire walls throughout the exhibition and several series of everyday objects are collected into sequences. The exhibition also brings together a number of Creed’s early minimalist works, and sets them alongside Work No. 736 Piano Accompaniment (2007), a live piano performance, played continually throughout the day. Creed’s candid and austere films exploring the limits of the human body are also featured. For the first time in the UK, the pivotal Work No. 1000 (2009-2010) is exhibited, a monumental colour series comprised of 1000 prints made with broccoli, as well as Work No. 1686 (2013), a car that opens up and turns on and closes down and switches off.

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“Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 200, 1998. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 396, 2005. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 916, 2008. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 928, 2008. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 1000, 2009-2010. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 1585, 2013. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 1588, 2013. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 1805, 2014. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

Martin Creed, Work No. 1806, 2014. “Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?”, Hayward Gallery, 2014. Installation view. Photo Linda Nylind

until April 27, 2014
Martin Creed: What’s the point of it?
curated by Cliff Lauson
Hayward Gallery
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road
London

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