No crumbs on Martinez's 'Open Feast' table
Eddie Martinez's "Open Feast"
Brooklyn-based artist Eddie Martinez is holding his first solo exhibition “Open Feast” in the Chinese mainland at Yuz Museum. Running through January 12, it comprehensively showcases Martinez’s art practice by a new series of paintings and sketches as well as a study on pop culture, sports, art history and his personal experiences.
Born in Connecticut in 1977, Martinez has gained international recognition for his extraordinary use of line and manipulation of colors. Based on primal interactions and permeated with the visceral breath of life, his works are fresh and free of stylization.
Brushes, palette knives, fingers, screws, the wrong ends of brushes, and whatever else is around him, serve as tools for his paintings. His drawings, born on the way to a studio, a restaurant or during his leisure time, become a starting point for his paintings. The works on paper function as a diary faithfully documenting observations of the world.
For this exhibition, the artist accomplished two of his largest works ever, drawing inspiration from the architecture and atmosphere of the museum.
The new work emanates from his most well-known “Table” and “Mandala” series, establishing a breakthrough compared to previous experiments in boundaries and limitations. Through “Open Feast,” Martinez invites the audience to view his art feast open-mindedly.
Unconstrained by venue, materials or topic, the artist builds an infinite universe within the limitations of the canvas, probing deeply into borders and freedom.
“I am drawn to containers. Putting marks, colors and shapes in a neat confined area all smashed in and having a solid blocked out background makes me feel like I am able to exploit maximalism and minimalism in the same picture. That feels pretty complete to me. It’s something I’ve been exploring for over a decade,” Martinez said.
"Mandala in the Sky"
Exhibition info
Date: Through January 12 (closed on Mondays), 10am-9pm
Venue: Yuz Museum
Address: 35 Fenggu Rd
