
Jamie Martinez, Underworld shield of Teotihuacan Spider Woman (2023). Paint, ink, wire, oil pastels on clay. 22 x 23 x 5 in.
I am an interdisciplinary artist who explores the intersection of history, research, indigenous spirituality, and ancient beliefs in my work. My art, including paintings, sculptures, and installations, serves as a commentary on colonialism, the exploitation of Central and South American land and workers by large corporations, and mystical visions. My current series “Mercado” sheds light on the consequences of greed and the harm it causes to the land and people.
In my previous series, I used art as a tool to navigate the unknown journey into the underworld, drawing inspiration from my personal obsession with the afterlife and the preparation required for the soul to reach it. The series ended with a life-altering fire, yet I believe that the art I created protected me during that moment of darkness.
Through my work, I aim to create an interruption in the colonial environment we live in, inspire reflection on lost indigenous beliefs and provoke thought about the impact of human consumption on our world and the consequences of our actions.
Jamie Martinez, a Colombian-American artist, immigrated to Florida at 12 and studied at the Miami International University of Art & Design and The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. His work has been featured in major outlets such as Hyperallergic, CNN, New York Magazine, The Observer, New York Magazine, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, Yale University radio WYBCX, NTN24 (TV interview), Good Day New York (TV interview), Fox News (TV interview), Whitehot Magazine, Whitewall Magazine, and more. He has also exhibited at Spring Break Art Show plus many galleries worldwide including The Queens Museum, Petzel Gallery, Galerie Richard, Whitebox NY, The Gabarron Foundation, Flowers Gallery, Elga Wimmer PCC, Foley Gallery, Rush Gallery, and many more.