Martin Creed - Hayward Gallery (and in the lift at Ikon)

Martin Creed, Work No. 845: Things, 2007

Martin Creed: What's the point of it? is at the Hayward Gallery until 27 April.
On a recent visit to the Ikon in Birmingham (see Jamal Penjweny and David Tremlett, below) I took the glass lift down from the top galleries (I love glass lifts) and had the bonus pleasure of experiencing Martin Creed's Work No. 409: For lift and choir of bass, alto and soprano voices. The recorded voices deepen as the lift descends. I immediately rode the lift back up with rising voices; and down again.
This reminded me that Creed's retrospective at the Hayward is on my list of must see exhibitions. I have enthused before about his Turner Prize winning piece (Work No. 160: The lights going on and off - see below) and so have high hopes that the Hayward show will be good. Reviews, have, however, been mixed. His art is one that balances on a knife edge of silliness and banality, but when it comes off it can be a delight.
Read reviews by Tim Adams, Mark Hudson, Sarah Kent and Waldemar Januszczack (he hated it!); watch a video 'preview'; read a transcript of a talk given by the artist in Birmingham in 2008; watch a video of Martin Creed and his band performing in Berlin in 2012.

Martin Creed, Work No. 79: Some Blu-Tack kneaded, rolled into a ball, and depressed against a wall, 1993

Martin Creed, Work No. 200: Half the air in a given space, 1998

Martin Creed, Work No. 1092: Mothers, 2011

Martin Creed, Work No. 264: Two protrusions from a wall, 2001

Martin Creed, Work No. 1315, 2011

Martin Creed, Work No. 88: A sheet of A4 paper crumpled into a ball, 1995

Martin Creed, Work No. 701: Nails, 2007

Martin Creed: Work No.227 - Tate Britain

Martin Creed, Work No.227: The lights going on and off, 2000

I am delighted to see that Martin Creed's wonderful Work No.277 has been bought by, and re-installed in, Tate Britain. It will be on display until 20 April 2015.
Read Maurizio Cattelan's response to the work and Helen Delaney's description for the Tate. Watch a video of its installation in MoMA.

Martin Creed (and others) at the Cheltenham Literature Festival

Martin Creed, Work No.338: Things, 2004

The Cheltenham Literature Festival kicks off on Friday 8^th October and features a handful of art related events. Most notably, Martin Creed (Turner Prize winner, 2001) will give a talk about his work at the Parabola Arts Centre, 12-1pm on Saturday 9^th October.

Other art related events are more conventionally book oriented:

• Michelangelo and Leonardo – talk by Jonathan Jones, 10-11am, Saturday 9^th

• Picasso – talk by Christopher Riopelle, 2-3pm, Tuesday 12^th

• Lucian Freud – talk by Martin Gayford, 2-3pm, Wednesday 13^th

• Caravaggio – talk by Andrew Graham-Dixon, 12-1pm, Thursday 14^th

• Canaletto – talk by Charles Beddington, 10-11am, Friday 15^th

• Van Gogh –talk by Ann Dumas, 2-3pm, Friday 15^th

For more details and booking information go to the Festival website.