Sir Michael Craig-Martin is one of the most influential artists of his generation - but he says he's had "terrible things" said about the work he's now famous for. The 83-year-old's long career is now the subject of a major retrospective opening this weekend at the Royal Academy. But he told Sky News: "I've had terrible things said about all the work that now people think is wonderful.
.. If you can't survive criticism.
.. you're in the wrong game.
" The Royal Academy retrospective brings together his life's work in one show, including his early experimental sculpture, his landmark conceptual work and a new immersive digital work. Read more entertainment news: Painting of nude woman prompts police visit Undiscovered Mozart music found Fake heiress appears on TV show with sparkly ankle tag While much of Sir Michael's painting has been dominated with depictions of modern icons, like laptops and iPhones, he says technology has made it "harder for people to look" at his work. "We've become probably the most visual age there's ever been and at the same time it's become harder and harder for people to actually look," he said.
"[Paintings] don't move - you have to come to them, you have to give them a little time," he explained, adding that nowadays people are more "used to something that's doing something for them". The subject matter of much of Craig-Martin's large-scale, vivid colour paintings of everyday objects - from trainers to paperclips, glasses to coffee cups - is universally.