Mark Anthony Martinez, MFA
Visual Artist \ Curator
b. 1987BFA; Intermedia, Pacific Northwest College of Art, 2012
MFA; Contemporary Art Practices, Portland State University, 2014Based in San Antonio, TX
Upcoming \ Currently On View
WE’RE IN THE INDUSTRY is a group exhibition featuring 14 local artists, who work within the cultural field. From museums and Fine Arts institutions, to the sector of education.We live in a world that separates labor from the value of goods, services, and experiences we pay for. Across institutional galleries, emblazoned with the names of donors, you’re not supposed to see yourself within those who greet you at the front desk; or those who expertly hang grand exhibitions, create engaging designs, much less those who maintain the quality of the very facilities you step into. Further, as A.I. saturates our current era, the very act of learning is embattled against interests that seek to sanitize it; trading in wonder and curiosity, for passivity and obedience.WE’RE IN THE INDUSTRY highlights those who show up everyday, to do their part in contributing to our collective enrichment; while still maintaining an art practice beyond the 9 to 5. Art is so much more than escapism, and it is always closer and more accessible than what you may be led to believe.SECOND SATURDAY, 9/13, 7—10pm @ 1906 S. Flores, San Antonio, TX 78204. Hope to see you there, in support of the people who help keep our city interesting, worthwhile, and truly ours; rather than some destination for tourists.
"All About Me," but dont worry, that's just the title. For this show we invited over 45 artists from San Antonio and surrounding areas to create a work of art based on the concept of self-portraiture. This is going to be our first large scale group exhibition in our space and we are excited to have you all experience this show.On view through October 23rd
By Appointment
Video Work
A collection of relevant video works and documentation of previous installations. See my Vimeo for more info.
"I'M NOT A COWBOY...," solo exhibition documentation, Clamp Light Artist Studios & Gallery, 2024
“HE GOT IT," 3 minute video excerpt, original video duration 00:14:45”, 2024
“Reverse Manifest Destiny,” video installation, originally created for the group show “IM\MATERIAL CONCERNS\,” 1906, San Antonio.
“Didactic/Musings,” single channel video, originally created for the group show “Not Quite January,” 1906, San Antonio. Runtime 18:42”
“art/worker,” video performance on PVM, created for the group show “ART/WORKER,” curated by Michael Martinez then selected for the curation “Vernacular Systems,” curated by Christopher Blay, 2024
“i did it to myself,” solo exhibition video pile documentation of “the doom scroll,” in the project space JANUARY, 2023.
SPECTRE, single channel video installation, exhibiting in tandem with the classic theatre’s production of “Measure for Measure,” San Antonio, 2023
“Brown Sugar,” A three hour performance neutralizing the radical within the artist; culminating in a “safer” brown hue. Originally performed at Recess, a project space in Portland, OR.
Visual Art Documentation
A portfolio of previously exhibited visual works and documentation of installations. See my instagram or follow me on Blue Sky (links below) for more information on upcoming studio happenings.
grasping at straws, a solo show by mark anthony martinez, 2025
grasping at straws, a solo show by mark anthony martinez, 2025
I’M NOT A COWBOY…, install shot, photo credit Carlos Ferrand 2024
PARDON OUR DUST: 21st CENTURY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, assemblage, photo credit Carlos Ferrand, 2024
“No New White Friends,” neon art (fabrication credit King of Neon) (c/o Casie Lomeli’s Collection) and “art/worker,” video performance on PVM, as featured at the SA Contemporary for the curation “Vernacular Systems,” curated by Christopher Blay, 2024
“i did it to myself,” solo exhibition installation view at the project space JANUARY, 2023. Photo credit: Luis M Garza, 2023
“i did it to myself,” solo exhibition installation view at the project space JANUARY, 2023. Photo credit: Luis M Garza, 2023
“i did it to myself,” solo exhibition installation view at the project space JANUARY, 2023. Photo credit: Luis M Garza, 2023
Installation View, Acrylic paintings on vinyl on view at Carbon Bloom as a part of the two-person exhibition “A New Shade of Idiosyncrasy,” San Antonio, 2022
"Idyllic Landscape," acrylic on vinyl, Carbon Bloom, San Antonio, Courtesy Daniel Alejandro Gonzalez’ Collection, 2022 (2023)
installation view at FREIGHT gallery & studios, as ft. in the group exhibition "Images of Power," co-curated by Alana Coates, 2018"
"(off) white power," neon courtesy of the "King of Neon", Courtesy Manuel Diz’ collection, 2017
installation view at Mexic-Arte, as featured in the group exhibition “YLA 22: AHORA,” curated by Alana Coates, fabrication credit King of Neon, photo credit Andrea Rampone, 2017
"No New White Friends," as featured in the group exhibition “YLA 22: AHORA,” curated by Alana Coates, at the Mexic-Arte, 2017. Neon fabrication credit King of Neon, photo credit Andrea Rampone, 2017
"Flesh wound," foamboard cut out, featured in the two-person exhibition “Profiling Made Visible,” curated by David S. Rubin at the Bihl Haus Arts, photo credit Luis M. Garza, 2016
"White Out," self portrait digital collage, 2014. Featured in the two-person exhibition “Profiling Made Visible,” curated by David S. Rubin at the Bihl Haus Arts, photo credit Luis M. Garza, 2016
CREAM, MFA thesis exhibition. 2014
Artist Statement
I’m a conceptual artist whose practice revolves around my own relation to racial whiteness as a visibly brown individual.Through my art; I employ self-portraiture, text and oblique references to the white body as it exists as a disembodied ideal. My work challenges the western notion of white as “neutral” by highlighting the historical violence of assimilation and colorism present within communities of color.Although this type of work encompasses a majority of my exhibited artwork, there are other subjects I’m currently exploring. Subjects such as labor, science fiction and ecological conservation.These concurrent creative endeavors are approached with the understanding that all of my work is created from a perspective that recognizes myself as a person of color.
Artist Biography
Mark Anthony Martinez is a conceptual artist and curator based in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Martinez holds a BFA in Intermedia Arts from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (2012) and an MFA in Studio Art from Portland State University (2014).His studio practice, has had him exhibit in numerous group shows locally and nationally, including; The Contemporary at Blue Star, San Antonio, TX (2024), Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX (2020), The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center Inc., New York, NY (2019), The Open as part of the Nicholas Frank Public Library, Milwaukee, Wi. (2017), Mexic-Arte in Austin, TX. (2017) and, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago, Il. (2014). In 2024, Martinez ended the year with his tenth solo exhibition titled “I’m Not A Cowboy,” featured at the Clamp Light Artist Studios & Gallery in San Antonio, Texas.Martinez has served as Visual Arts Director to the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (2015-2017), Gallery Manager for the Michael and Noemi Neidorff Art Gallery at Trinity University (2018), co-curator for the experimental pop-up space, Fake Gallery (2019), co-director of the short lived project space entitled JANUARY (2023) and currently co-curator to both INTERLOPER and The S.M.A.R.T. Project Space (501c3); respective arts incubators within the "1906 Studio."