Eddie Martinez is a contemporary artist whose works blend abstraction, street art, and pop culture references. Born in 1977 in Connecticut, Martinez grew up with a Puerto Rican father and an Irish American mother. Martinez’s multicultural upbringing can often be attributed to his bold use of color, shapes, and patterns, which Martinez engaged within the work “Untitled.”
“Untitled ” is characterized by its unique use of figurative abstraction as influenced by European Avant-Garde titans: such as Picasso and Matisse and those in the COBRA art movement. Martinez blends the elements of cartoonish figuration and dream-like fantasy in this work. These characteristics were also utilized by the COBRA artists and show how Martinez was observing the movement.
Martinez has also been heavily influenced by the legacy of Abstract Expressionists, particularly with the speed at which they worked. Having stated, “For me, it's about speed, really. That's what gets me the most excited, something that is without a lot of thought. A lot of abstract painters, this stuff was all about speed.”i Martinez’s engagement with the legacy of previous art historical movements makes his work some of the most interesting and engaging of contemporary artists to date. “Untitled ” sits comfortably in the legacy Martinez has created for himself, and the work stands in line with his most playful and creative paintings to date. Whether it’s through his use of color, texture, or composition Martinez’s work is a testament to the power of art, skill, and creativity.