Artworks

Martin Langford RE, Triple A, etching, edition of 100

Elected ARE 1996, RE 2002

Triple A is about the human condition; exploring human traits such as becoming preoccupied with minor details whilst nearby something bigger and more serious is taking place. Also, it’s about not being ready or prepared. Darth Vader is a warlord, but he too started off as a child – here you see him sitting on the floor in a pose a young child might adopt – showing a vulnerability, and leaving himself open for attack. The situation makes him appear relatable, as if he is just an ordinary guy, about to discover that he has the wrong type of batteries. Martin’s work is a combination of visual communication and personal expression. He uses humour and satire to convey his ideas in this effective and engaging way.

The technique used in this print is line etching and aquatint on a copper plate. Martin first works out the image in a drawing, before then etching it onto the copper using a solution of ferric chloride and a hand-burnishing tool to graduate tone and reduce shade when it has etched too deeply. Martin relishes the challenge and craftsmanship involved in different forms of printmaking and enjoys making highly detailed works.

Martin studied Post Graduate Advanced Printmaking in etching and mezzotint at Central St Martins College of Art & Design, and has received many awards for his printmaking, including the RSBA Print Award, People’s Choice Award (Bankside Gallery), David Gluck RE Memorial Award and has been selected many times for the Royal Academy Summer Show. Elected as a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 1996, he has been an active member ever since. He is also a long-term member of the artist collaborative, Southbank Printmakers.