Artist Patrick Martinez is set to present his most expansive series of works yet as part of an exhibition named “Ghost Land,” in partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF).
“Ghost Land” is set to feature a major public artwork alongside a large-scale sculptural installation. The exhibition is designed to highlight Martinez’s “landscape” paintings, which ICA SF describes as “works that evoke the topography of personal, civic, and cultural loss.”
Through these upcoming works, the artist intends to bring urban histories to life as abstractions of the LA landscape and will do so using familiar materials like distressed stucco, spray paint, window security bars, vinyl signage, ceramic tile and neon — simultaneously putting on display his diverse practice and range.
Like his “Serpents” work shown above, Martinez often layers imagery inspired by graffiti, activism and Mayan or Aztec symbolism to express the overlooked stories of California residents, especially those who have had to show resilience in the wake of gentrification.
While the exhibition as a whole is deeply personal to Martinez, one element of it stands out among the rest, the fact that he will be revisiting and re-envisioning an East Los Streetscapers mural that was knocked down in 1980 — the year he was born. Other exciting elements include the aforementioned sculpture, which will be the artist’s first attempt at a “landscape” in the round.
Past examples of Martinez’s work bringing life to underserved communities in LA include a mural at the Dogpatch basketball court presented by The Warriors Community Foundation, ICA SF and Alive & Free — located just 400 ft south of the museum.
The artist’s latest exhibition with ICA SF is set to begin on September 23 and run through to January 7 of 2024.
Elsewhere in art, it’s your last chance to catch WhIsBe’s “Innocence Lost” exhibition.
Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco
901 Minnesota Street
San Francisco, CA
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