Jamie Martinez (b. Ibagué, Colombia) is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice explores the intersections of history, research, indigenous spirituality, and ancient beliefs. Encompassing painting, sculpture, and installation, his work serves as a profound commentary on colonialism, mysticism, labor, and ceremonial gatherings.
Martinez’s work has been featured extensively across major media outlets, including Hyperallergic, Artforum (Must See solo show), New York Magazine, The Observer, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and Whitewall Magazine, with broadcast appearances on CNN, Fox News, Good Day New York, NTN24, and Yale University Radio (WYBCX).
He has exhibited globally at prominent institutions and galleries, including the Queens Museum (NY), The Glucksman Museum (Ireland), Petzel Gallery, Penn State University, 601Artspace, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery at Parsons, Ghostmachine Gallery, and Galerie Richard. Notably, he was awarded Best Sculpture for the group show ” Apollo’s” at the Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art in France. Martinez’s artwork is held in numerous permanent and private collections worldwide, including The Marina Tsvetaeva Museum (Moscow), the Gabarrón Foundation (New York and Spain), the Acuity Brands corporate collection, and Foursquare’s New York headquarters.
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.