If the existence of tenderness in parody is in question, then Martin Grover’s screen prints, so finely attuned to the much-celebrated graphic design of the London Transport system, are worthy proofs. They are equally fond portraits of the reveries, whether fearful or fantastical, that accompany us in our everyday tasks. If this soft heart is in doubt then take a look at Grover’s recent body of work, straight faced dedications to records and their sleeves, sharp eyed depictions both of graphic design lingered over, and the tell tale signs of an object well loved. 

Since leaving the Royal Academy Schools with an MA in Fine Art, Martin Grover has exhibited extensively in France, the USA, Australia, Holland and Belgium as well as at various galleries and art fairs throughout the UK. Often selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, he has twice exhibited at the prestigious John Moores exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool - the second time as a runner up. His latest successful solo exhibition was `Covers for Unwritten Books` at Gx gallery, London, 2009. 

“In the last few years I have returned to screen printing creating beautiful, playful, touching and witty pastiches of packaging, road signs, and bus stops. The bus stop series of prints under the collective title `You Are Here And You Want To Be There (Life In The Bus Lane)` are homages to bus travel, bus stop graphics and London’s fecund array of places and street names. 

These prints show us where we are and where we might go, places both real and imagined, some to aspire towards others to avoid. They are also introspective odysseys. Traversing the city's highways and byways, pondering the hand fate is dealing us, musing on trials and tribulations, ruing our imperfections and missed opportunities, revelling in little glories and triumphs, dreaming impossible dreams, we search for tranquility and peace of mind. Then the bus jolts, reality bites and reveries are suspended; babies cry, tempers flare, drunks ramble, kids shout, mothers despair, boasters boast, lovers quarrel, fares are evaded, engines are cut, teeth are kissed, tutters tut and life goes on."