Javier Martin

Javier Martin (Spain, 1985) is a multidisciplinary artist who bases his creative exploration on the careful observation of his surroundings, detecting semiotic relationships that might otherwise pass by unnoticed to an unperceptive viewer. With this approach, the artist constructs situations that invite reflection on impending matters in today’s world. Raised in Spain, Javier began painting in oil colors at the tender age of seven and had his first exhibition at the age of eight; honed his observation skills, allowing him to learn from people and daily situations far removed from his background, he relied on his experiences, which allowed him to explore the possibilities of various materials and tools that he incorporates in his work today. Javier has equally experimented in painting, collage, sculpture, performance art and video art. Through his work, he proposes relationships among forms, surfaces, textures, and scenarios in which objects used on a daily basis relate to each other in unexpected ways. For over a decade, Javier has been developing one of his most iconic collections, Blindness. The eyes, classically associated with the reflection of human emotions, are always concealed whether behind a vibrant stroke of paint or a glowing neon light. With painting and collage, he reproduces images of seemingly perfect models, symbols of a standard of beauty and lifestyle that most people long to enjoy. Inspired by the juxtaposition between the grit of city surroundings and the glossy ads that line them, Martin deconstructs this perceived perfection to create a contrast between technology, collage, and painting. His work has been featured in major exhibitions internationally including, Matthew Liu Gallery, Shanghai (2014), ̈Lies and Light ̈ Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (2017); ̈New Ways of Seeing ̈ at Liang Yi Museum, Hong Kong (2017); Plan B group show at David Zwirner, New York (2019); ̈Blindness ̈ at Seoul Museum, Korea (2019); ̈Infinite Light ̈ Maki Gallery, Japan (2019); The Andong Arts and Culture Center, Korea (2019); Tri-Bowl Art Space, Korea (2020) ; The Koo House Museum, Korea (2020).