BIOGRAPHY

Jamie Martinez (b. Ibagué, Colombia) is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the intersection of history, research, indigenous spirituality, and ancient beliefs. His art includes paintings, sculptures, and installations that serve as a commentary on colonialism, mysticism, labor, and ceremonial gatherings.

Martinez’s work has been featured in major outlets such as Hyperallergic, CNN, New York Magazine, The Observer, 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 exhibited at the Queens Museum, The Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art, Petzel Gallery, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery at the New School, 601 Artspace, Penn State University, Spring Break Art Show, Collar Works, Ghostmachine Gallery, Galerie Richard, Whitebox NY, The Gabarron Foundation, Flowers Gallery and all over the world. His artwork is included in the permanent collections of The Marina Tsvetaeva Museum in Moscow, Russia, The Acuity Brands Corporate private collection in NYC, The Gabarron’s Foundation collection in New York and Spain, Foursquare headquarters in NYC, and various additional private collections.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Each series I create emerges from a distinct vision—an intuitive response to historical research, personal experience, spiritual insight, or transitioning into the afterlife. These visions dictate the materials, forms, and processes best suited to communicate the underlying theme, ensuring that each body of work remains unique in its execution. Some series take on sculptural or installation-based forms, incorporating raw, organic materials to evoke labor, ritual, and indigenous craftsmanship. In contrast, others rely on participatory elements to foster communal engagement and lived experiences. The conceptual framework guides my decisions through the meticulous deconstruction of colonial narratives, the reassembly of fragmented histories, or the integration of labor and machines. In this way, the physical manifestation of each work is not predetermined by a singular style. Instead, it adapts fluidly to the message it seeks to convey, allowing the art to become a vessel for the vision itself.