Micheal Craig-Martin...

During my tutorial my tutor mentioned Michael Craig-Martin, saying that some of my sketches reminded her him from the style but also that they were of inanimate objects. Along with these style drawings something that Craig-Martin is famous for is his piece called 'The Oak Tree'. The works appears to be a glass of water in a glass shelf with a piece of text. However the artist, Michael Craig-Martin, tells you that it is an oak tree. The idea is along the same as Marcel Duchamps in that Craig-Martin is highlighting the power of the artist, in that they can take any item and call it art. Here Craig-Martin had presented a glass filled with water and told us it is an oak tree, he even provides the questions and answers behind the piece to  prove that it is in fact an oak tree. This explanation gives a significance and new meaning to this everyday item which coincides with what my sketches and photos of my everyday life do when I have a series of them.

Whilst researching Craig-Martin I found out that his parents sent him to a catholic school where stained glass windows were brought to his attention as a focus on religious imagery. I can't help but notice the similarities between Craig-Martins work and that of a stained glass window. This could be something to consider in my own work. By making a stained glass window you are automatically making that scene has some form of significance and value. So far my tutor has mentioned the idea that by drawing attention to the mundane and everyday items in my sketches I am given them a form of value and so making those forgettable scenarios that  happen everyday special. If I were to then turn those scenes I have collected into a form of stained glass window, whether that be the literal or to make a painting (like Craig-Martins) or anything that  is easily recognisable as being related to the religious art form, then it would give the work and context even more significance. People viewing the work would question the worth of these items or scenes, giving me, the artist, the power to determine that this is worthy of art.