Martin Creed - Van Abbemuseum

Martin Creed
Work No. No. 317 371
Elevator ooh/aah up/down
“I don’t know what I want to say, but, to try to say
“I don’t know what I want to say, but, to try to say
something, I think I want to try to think. I want to try
something, I think I want to try to think. I want to try to
see
to see
what
what
I think.
I think.
I think
I think
trying
trying
is a
is
big
a big
part
part
of it,
of
I think
it, I
think thinking is a big part of it, and I think wanting is
thinking is a big part of it, and I think wanting is a big
part a big
of part
it, but of it,
saying but saying
it is difficult, it is difficult,
and I find and
saying I find saytrying
and try- ing nearly and always nearly wanting. always wanting. I want what I want I want what to I
say want to to go say without to go saying.” without saying.”
‘Work No. 317’ by Martin Creed (1968, Wakefield, GB)
‘Work No. 371’ by Martin Creed (1968, Wakefield, GB)
can be found in the museum elevator during one of
can be found in the museum elevator during one of
the many possible trips that can be taken between
the five many
floors possible
of the trips
nieuwbouw. that can
Every be taken
trip between
is different
– the
the five
direction, floors of
the the
objective nieuwbouw.
and Every
one’s fellow trip is differpassengersent
– the vary. direction, This is something the objective we and are usually one’s fellow not so
aware pas- sengers of. We vary. effortlessly This is something move ourselves we are from usually a to b
without not so aware noticing of. that We effortlessly much about move the route. ourselves Certainly from
moving about by using an elevator means waiting,
a to b without noticing that much about the route.
tedium and lost moments for most of us. However,
Certainly moving about by using an elevator means
Creed’s subtle intervention enables us to experience
waiting, tedium and lost moments for most of us.
this trip in a fresh manner. The moment the elevator
moves However,
you Creed’s
hear a subtle
chromatic intervention
scale – from enables
low to us
high, to
from experience
high to this
low, trip
depending in a fresh
on manner.
the direction The moment
of the
elevator. the elevator Thus moves a musical you piece hear a is chromatic created by scale it’s users. –
The from elevator low to high, has been from changed high to low, into depending a musical instru- on
ment
the direction that can
of be
the played
elevator. how
Thus you
a choose.
musical Actually
piece is
‘Work
created No.
by 371’
it’s is
users. something
The elevator in between
has been a musical
changed piece
and
into
a
a
sculpture.
musical instru-
You could
ment
call
that
the
can
elevator
be played
cage
how
the
‘sculpture’. Even the sound that takes up space in and
you choose. Actually ‘Work No. 371’ is something in
outside the elevator can be imagined in a visual man-
between a musical piece and a sculpture. You could
ner. Creed’s work is intelligent, animated and full of
subtle call the
humour. elevator
Time cage
and the
again ‘sculpture’.
he starts Even
from the
zero sound
and
tries that takes to conceive up space the in world and afresh. outside He the is elevator preoccupied can
with be imagined major classical in a visual themes man- like ner. composition Creed’s work and is position
intelligent, in space.
animated The number
and full of
of possible
subtle compositions
humour. Time
and
and positions
again he is
starts infinitely
from big,
zero so
and how
tries can
to you
conceive make
a choice from these? Creed searches for a solution in
the world afresh. He is preoccupied with major classical
themes like composition and po- sition in space.
The number of possible compositions and positions is
infinitely big, so how can you make
a choice from these? Creed searches for a solution in
which the various possibilities are equivalent to each
other, which
one the various
is not more possibilities
important are
than equivalent
another. to each
other, one is not more important than another.
In ‘Work No. 317’ he has found the perfect solution. The
composition In ‘Work No. 371’ of the he work has found is determined the perfect by solution. the visitors
who move themselves from a to b in the elevator. The
The composition of the work is determined by the
position of the elevator in the building is also depen-
visitors who move themselves from a to b in the
dent on their choice. The need for equality is also arti-
elevator. The position of the elevator in the buildculated
in the titles of his works. “I want all my works to
be ing
equal, is also
big depen-
or small, dent
a on
piece their
of choice.
music, a The
sculpture, need for
an
installation equality is also
or a arti-
painting. culated
I want in the
them titles
all of
to his
be works.
treated
the “I want same all – my giving works them to be all equal, a number big was or small, one way a piece of
trying of music, to do a sculpture, that.” an installation or a painting.
I want them all to be treated the same – giving them
Despite the fact that the concept plays a major role in
all a number was one way of trying to do that.”
Creed’s work, form and material are also of major im-
Despite the fact that the concept plays a major role
portance. Often these are simple and modest. When
he
in Creed’s
was nominated
work, form
for
and
the Turner
material
Prize
are
in
also
2001,
of
for
major
instance,
im- portance.
Creed Often
used his these
assigned are simple
space and
to create modest.
‘Work
No. When
227’: he
‘The was
Lights nominated
Going for
On the
and Turner
Off’. In Prize
this work in 2001,
the
lights for in- went stance, on Creed and off used every his five assigned seconds space in an to otherwise
create empty ‘Work room. No. 227’: The visitors ‘The Lights were Going by themselves On and Off’. in
a
In room
this work which
the normally
lights went would
on and not even
off every be registered
five
and
seconds which
in was
an other- now light
wise and
empty dark
room. by turns.
The visitors And every
time
were
the
by
work
themselves
is seen
in
again, the visitors’ experience
of it gives it new meanings. Not only the concept but
a room which normally would not even be registered
the experiencing of the work is a key factor in order to
and which was now light and dark by turns. And
fathom it.
every time the work is seen again, the visitors’
Creed’s experience works of extract it gives the it new commonplace meanings. Not or obvious only
and the concept enable us but to the experience experiencing the world of the in work a fresh is a way.
This
key is
factor done
in in
order an extremely
to fathom subtle
it. manner, with simple
means and without too much intervention, by seeking
a delicate balance between work, the world and the
Creed’s works extract the commonplace or obvious
viewer. What we experience as provocation or ob-
and enable us to experience the world in a fresh
struction, appears, on reflection, to exist chiefly from
way. This is done in an extremely subtle manner, with
our own prejudices. The obvious has been breached.
“Art simple happens, means if and it happens, without in too people much – intervention, in their hearts by
and seeking heads a delicate and bodies.” balance between work, the world
and the viewer. What we experience as provocation
or ob- struction, appears, on reflection, to exist chief-
All quotes by Martin Creed
ly from our own prejudices. The obvious has been
breached. “Art happens, if it happens, in people –
in their hearts and heads and bodies.”
All quotes by Martin Creed
Photo:
Photo:
Peter
Peter
Cox
Cox
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