Michael Craig-MartinIrish, 1941Proposal (bulb and watch)
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Proposal (bulb and watch)” now? Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Not on view at present. Checked September 25, 2026.
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Michael Craig-Martin RA was a key figure in conceptual art of the 1960s, and through his position as a tutor at Goldsmith's College from 1974-1988 and 1994-2000 had a profound influence on two generations of British artists. His work spans conceptualism, minimalism and pop, without being easily categorised. He has a long-standing interest in drawing and has curated exhibitions including Drawing the Line (Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1995).
Early in his career Craig-Martin's intention was, as far as possible, to remove self-expression from his drawings, and to achieve this he replaced pen and pencil with thin, flexible adhesive tape.
Read on
Proposal (bulb and watch) is part of Craig-Martin's extended enquiry into the nature of line which began in the 1960s. It was made in 1992, the cusp of the YBA (Young British Artist) period which was led by his former students. The drawing simplifies and refines a pair of ordinary objects to their schematic outlines, exploring conventions of representation.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Details
- Accession number
- E.404-2011
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
