Artist Profile

Martin, 66, has an extremely diverse painting practice that can be primal, hermetic, vibrant and meditative, often simultaneously. His work is classified as Casualist and features bright colors and compositions that often originate from a simple doodle. Martin regularly includes non-traditional objects such as glitter, tinfoil and newspaper in his paintings, thus creating a homemade feel to his paintings. He has a degree in art therapy and practiced for 15 years in the 90s and 2000s which may be the reason why his paintings have a soothing and almost, totemic quality.

My Take

With representation at two excellent galleries (Anton Kern in NYC, David Kordansky in LA, and Timothy Taylor in London) who have track records for taking emerging artists to the next level, Martin is primed to have his prices catch up to his reputation as an influential painter. He’s not young, but his work remains fresh in the eyes of collectors and younger artists alike. At auction, his works have sold for as high as $37,000, and are selling for up to $75,000 at his galleries for the largest works. In the next decade, I expect to see Martin’s market consolidate and his prices steadily climb. This midsize work has both the electric spray paint and a record album collaged onto the canvas - both Martin signatures. Works of this size sell at retail in the $40,000 to $45,000 range, so a hammer bid up to $20,000 will get you a great Chris Martin painting for less than $30,000 (with fees).

Artist Bio

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