About this artwork

Martin changed from painting flat, realist works to distinctly abstract compositions in 1949. His earliest abstract paintings and prints were built up from a sequence of constructive movements. This print was inspired by the pattern of cells in a dragon-fly’s wing reproduced in D’Arcy Thompson’s book On Growth and Form. At the time of making this print, Martin was working in collage, which with its flat, cut-out and layered shapes lends itself perfectly to development in lithography.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Kenneth Martin (1905 - 1984) English
  • title:
    Abstract
  • date created:
    1950
  • materials:
    Colour lithograph
  • measurements:
    32.00 x 25.70 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequeathed by Mr Ken Powell 2006 [received 2008]
  • accession number:
    GMA 5065
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Kenneth Martin

Kenneth Martin