The internationally renowned sculptor and graphic artist Tony Cragg was born son of a electric engineer at Liverpool in 1949. Tony Cragg also initially pursued a scientific career, working as assistant in a biochemical laboratory at "Natural Rubber Producers Research Assoc." between 1966 and 1968
However, Tony Cragg soon noticed that he liked art more than science. Still while he was employed as lab assistant he began making drawings and landscapes of rubber, a little later he made first assemblages.
After he had taken introductory classes at Gloucestershire College of Art & Design in Cheltenham (1969/70), Tony Cragg eventually enrolled at Wimbledon School of Art, where he was a student of Roger Ackling and Jim Rogers as of 1973. Afterwards Tony Cragg enrolled at the Royal College of Art and studied sculpting up until 1977. After he had completed his studies Tony Cragg moved to Wuppertal, Germany.
In the 1970s movements such as Land Art, Minimal Art, Arte Povera and Conceptual art decisively coined Tony Cragg's development and inspired numerous different groups of works, mostly sculptures, but also graphic works. The artist's scientific background can be observed in many his works, this is especially true for the important works he made during his later period of creation, their structures often oscillate between abstraction and biomorphism.
Since the 1980s Tony Cragg is one of the most important masters of "New British Sculpture" and is an internationally celebrated artist. In 1988 he represented England at the Biennale in Venice and was awarded the acclaimed Turner Prize. The same year he was appointed professor and prorector at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. In 1994 the Royal Academy in London accepted Tony Cragg as member. Works by Tony Cragg are on display at international museums, such as the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum, the London Tate Gallery, the Museum Ludwig in Cologne or the Lenbachhaus in Munich.
Tony Cragg lives and works in Wuppertal.