Martin Whitworth

Martin's paintings and prints demonstrate his superb draughtsmanship, minimalist tendencies, and skilful collage work.

Christchurch artist Martin Whitworth graduated from Ilam School of Arts, University of Canterbury in 1983. Abstraction informs Martin's work but it is figurative art that interests him and informs his work, he says "Its a sort of blending of the two which, to my mind, makes it more imaginative." As Justin Paton writes, "Martin's work boasts enough chewy ideas to keep you thinking long after leaving he gallery space and more sheer graphic skill than most painters could shake a brush at, Whitworth's paintings are cram-packed with jarring leaps between modelled forms, flat zones of colour, collage elements, even sculpture: nails pierce the surface, wire is used as a kind of sculptural drawing, and these athletic deconstructions of the painted surface are played off against breathtakingly precise, pianissimo-delicate draughtsmanship."

In 2002, Martin won the Centre of Contemporary Art Award. His work is in public and private collections in New Zealand, Australia, USA, and the UK.