EDDIE MARTINEZ
Eddie Martinez’s (b. 1977) work joins together painting and drawing, abstraction and representation in non-traditional ways. Imbued with a sense of personal iconography, his practice often combines signature elements, such as bug-eyed humans wearing eclectic headgear, blockheads and Buflies. Energetic and raw, his artworks employ an aggressive use of colour and texture through various combinations of oil, enamel, spray paint, collage and detritus picked up from the studio floor. Martinez’s unconventional practice has received growing institutional support, with five museum solo shows in the last four years, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit and the Yuz Museum in Shanghai, both 2019, and at the Bronx Museum in 2018.
Image: Untitled, 2023 , oil, acrylic and spray paint on linen , 101.6 x 76.2 cm.; 40 x 30 in. Photo: JSP Art Photography
Selected Works
Solo Exhibitions
Selected Institutional Exhibitions
Biography
VITA
1977
Born in Groton, Connecticut, USA
2007
First Place, Best Group Show in a Commercial Gallery Boston-area, International Association of Art Critics (AICA) Awards
2008
Bauernmarkt Residency, Lenikus Collection, Vienna
Lives and works in Brooklyn
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Davis Museum at Wellesley College
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City
La Colección Jumex, Mexico City
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia
Pérez Art Museum, Miami
RISD Museum, Providence
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
The Marciano Collection, Los Angeles
The Morgan Library, New York
The Saatchi Collection, London
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
Buflies
Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill
You think that you know but you know that you don't
Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin
Nomader
Republic of San Marino Pavilion, The 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia
Pavilion of the Republic of San Marino, Venice
Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill
To Be Continued
Space K, Seoul
Wavelengths
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
2023
Enough
Timothy Taylor, London
Supernature
Capitain Petzel, Berlin
2022
Pigeon Sweat
Blum & Poe, Los Angeles
2021
Fingers Pointing at the Moon
Perrotin, Shanghai
Green Thumb
Blum & Poe, Los Angeles
Inside Thoughts
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
New Paintings 2
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2019
Open Feast
Yuz Museum, Shanghai
Fast Eddie
Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit
EMHK19
Perrotin, Hong Kong
2018
White Outs
The Bronx Museum, New York
Blockhead Stacks
Perrotin, Hong Kong
Love Letters
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
Yard Work
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
2017
Studio Wall
The Drawing Center, New York
Ants at a Picknic
Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley
Cowboy Town
Timothy Taylor, London
2016
Stop the world and let me off
Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels
Salmon Eye
Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
2014
Island I
Timothy Taylor, London
Nomader
Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles
Neanderthal Jeans
Half Gallery, New York
2013
Beginner Mind
Bill Brady KC, Kansas City
Matador
The Journal Gallery, New York
2012
Studio Drawings
Half Gallery, New York
2011
Seeker
Peres Projects, Berlin
New York Electric
Patricia Low Contemporary, Geneva
Eddie Martinez. Drawings 2005–2011
Schwarz Contemporary, Berlin
2010
Buffet State Of Mind
Sorry We're Closed, Brussels
ZieherSmith, New York
2009
News and Updates
Galerie Mikael Andersen, Copenhagen
Seomi & Tuus, Seoul
2008
Some Drawings
The Journal Gallery, New York
ZieherSmith, New York
New Paintings
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2007
Hooters
Galeria Comercial, San Juan
Darkness
aliceday, Brussels
2006
ZieherSmith, Volta Show, Basel
A Horse With No Name
ZieherSmith, New York
A Mini Carrot Experience
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2005
Abracadabra
Bucket Rider, Chicago
A Big Ole Steely Dan Conversation
Allston Skirt Gallery, Boston
Cool Beans Brother
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
George Clinton: Cloaked in a Cloud, Disguised in the Sky
SCAD – Museum of Art, Savannah
City Life
V1 Gallery, Copenhagen
Push and Pull
Andrew Reed Gallery, Miami
Friends of the Pod
BROADWAY, New York
2023
Next Door
Yuz Museum, Shanghai
Levity
Alexander Berggruen, New York
2022
Eddie Martinez & Sam Moyer
South Etna Montauk Foundation
2021
Linger and Flow
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia
2020
100 Drawings from Now
The Drawing Center, New York
Kaleidoscopes: Contemporary Portraiture
Perrotin, Hong Kong
Sympathetic Magic
Blum & Poe, Los Angeles
How ‘Bout Them Apples?
ross+kramer gallery, New York
Arthur
Ratio 3, San Francisco
2019
Senior Coconut
Reyes | Finn, Detroit
Jaywalkers
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2018
Palo Santo
Ratio 3, San Francisco
A New Way of Walking
Timothy Taylor, London
Beyond the Streets
Los Angeles
2017
10th Anniversary
Gallery Target, Tokyo
Drawing Island
The Journal Gallery, Brooklyn
2015
13
V1 Gallery, Copenhagen
The Avant-Garde Won’t Give Up: COBRA and it’s Legacy
Blum and Poe, Los Angeles
New York Painting
Kunstmuseum Bonn
Die Dritte Hand: Last Exit Painting
Salon Dahlmann, Berlin
2014
Brushcrusher
Studios353, New York
Vanitas: Contemporary Reflections on Love and Death from the Collection of Stephane Janssen
Phoenix Art Museum
Life
The Journal Gallery at Venus Over Manhattan, New York
Tip Top
Greenpoint Terminal Gallery, Brooklyn
2013
Body Language
Saatchi Gallery, London
Paint On, Paint Off
Halsey McKay Gallery, New York
Draw Gym, organized by Brian Belott
247365 & Know More Games, New York
LAT. 41° 7′ N., LONG. 72° 19′ W
Martos Gallery, East Marion, New York
Work
Klaus Von Nichtssagend Gallery, New York
2012
Group Show
Zach Feuer Gallery, New York
Wonders - Masterpieces from Private Collections in Denmark
KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg
Jose Lerma & Eddie Martinez
Halsey McKay Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Eagles
Marlborough Madrid
Breed
Greenberg Van Doren, New York
Portrait of a Generation
The Hole, New York
New Prints 2012/Winter
International Print Center New York
Thanksgiving
V1 Gallery, Copenhagen
2011
BNA
ZieherSmith Pop-Up Gallery, Nashville
back room
Untitled, New York
Facemaker
Royal/T, Culver City
Body Language
The Saatchi Gallery, London
New York Minute
Garage Center For Contemporary Culture, Moscow
Triangle Fool
Hiromiyoshii Roppongi Gallery, Tokyo
I Am Who I Am: The Portrait Reconsidered
Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston
Cover Version LP
BAMart, New York
Group Show
Galerie Suzanne Tarasieve, Paris
2010
The Power of Selection
Western Exhibitions, Chicago
Not Quite Open for Business
The Hole, New York
Insider/Outsider
Portugal Arte 2010, Lisbon
Draw
Museo de la Cuidad de Mexico, Mexico City
Wall to Wall
Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles
Apartment Show Presents Big Apple
Clifton Benevento, New York
Forth Estate Editions
Frederieke Taylor Gallery, New York
The Cannibal's Muse
Patricia Low Gallery, Gstaad
2009
Forth Estate Editions
RISD Memorial Hall Gallery, Providence
New York Minute, MACRO FUTURE
Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome
Grand Reopening
ZieherSmith, New York
Leaves of Ash
Suzanne Tarasieve Gallery, Paris
Just Landed, two person show with Wes Lang
aliceday, Brussels
Collaborations
ZieherSmith, New York
2008
This is Boston, Not LA
La Montagne Gallery, Boston
Whatever is Whatever
Hydra Project
Timeless
Morris Museum, Morristown
Mail Order Monsters
Andreas Melas Presents, Athens;
Max Wigram Gallery, London
Living In A Box
Galerie Mikael Andersen, Berlin
ambivalent figuration; people
Samson Projects, Boston
2007
Eddie Martinez, William J. O’Brian, Roman Wolgin, Jonas Wood
Gallery Min Min, Tokyo
Accessories
Galerie Mikael Anderson, Copenhagen
Painters
Cosar HMT, Düsseldorf
Mail Order Monsters
Deitch Projects, New York;
Peres Projects, Berlin
Athens Biennial
Athens
Cabinet of Curiosities
The Journal, Brooklyn
So Wrong, I'm Right
Blum & Poe, Los Angeles
Crystal Crunch
Perugi, Padua
Five Painters
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2006
Panic Room: Works from the Dakis Joannou Collection
Deste Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art, Athens
Beyond
New Image Art, Los Angeles
You have to be almost gifted to do what I do
Alexander and Bonin, New York
Don't Abandon The Ship
Allston Skirt Gallery, Boston
Fine Line
Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York
2005
Thank You for the Days
Bucket Rider Gallery, Chicago
Winners
HiFi Gallery, Austin
Greater Brooklyn
CRG Gallery, New York
Loyal and his band hand drawn covers
Loyal Gallery, Stockholm
2004
Eddie Martinez and Denise Kupferschmidt
Evos Arts, Lowell
In The Making
KCDC, New York
The 18th Drawing Show
Mills Gallery, Boston
Eddie Martinez and Matt Clark
Compound Gallery, Portland
Suburban
1300 Gallery, Cleveland
The Russian Doll Show
65 Hope Street Gallery, Brooklyn, travelled to:
New Image Art, Los Angeles;
Space 1026, Philadelphia;
Green Street Gallery, Jamaica Plain
2003
Dishwasher Safe
Wurst Gallery, Portland
Halloween Show
Evos Arts, Lowell
Go Team
Upstairs At Johnsons, Boston
Textile
Somerville Arts Center
Subconscious
1300 Gallery, Cleveland
Overhung
Oni Gallery, Boston
Animal Show
Mass Art, Boston
Publications
Selected Press
Artforum January 2024
Cultured Mag July 2022
Document Journal December 2018
Cultured Mag November 2018
Forbes October 2017
The Believer June 2012