Focus on Work No. 227: The lights going on and off and explore the Summary.
Creed was shortlisted for the 2001 Turner Prize for two exhibitions: Martin Creed Works, a solo exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Camden Arts Centre and Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool, and Art Now: Martin Creed at Tate Britain. His submission for the Turner Prize show at the Tate Gallery was Work No. 227: The lights going on and off: an empty room in which the lights switched on and off at 5-second intervals. The space which forms the artwork has painted white walls and concrete floors; the only light sources are the two ceiling lights.The work exploits the existing light fittings of the gallery space, modifying the lights using an electrical timer. Lights switching on and off form a recurring motif in Creed's works, including Work No. 127: the lights going on and off (1995) and Work No. 254: The lights in a building going on and off (2000), in which lights switch on and off in 30- and 1-second intervals, respectively.The artwork was acquired by Tate Britain for its permanent collection in 2013; at the time, it had been recently valued as being worth around £110,000.
Camden Arts Centre Tate Britain Tate Martin Creed Leeds Art Gallery Tate Gallery Liverpool Turner Prize Southampton City Art Gallery