Cristina Martinez: A Rising Star In Contemporary Art
From stylized human forms to abstraction to song covers, it seems Cristina Martinez can do it all.
Martinez, a 33-year-old mother and artist, is making work that symbolizes the society we live in. Her creations are colorful and avant-garde. She often highlights Black and Brown women as her subjects, maintaining a floral motif throughout most of her work. With over 84.3k followers on Instagram, Martinez is making a name for herself in the art world.
BLACK LIVES MATTER – Keep Blooming
Martinez commented, “I created this piece to celebrate, honor and encapsulate the spirit of those whose lives have been unfairly taken before their time. And as reminder for us Black and Brown people to continue to fight and continue to bloom.”
This painting appears similar to a quilt. The squares contribute to a larger picture. The symbols in each square represents an abstract face, with flowers used as eyes. The faces resemble the scales of justice in my interpretation, perhaps the artist symbolically advocating for equality.
& Still You Bloom.
In this work with the words “SELF” written in yellow, the artist is evoking inspiration. As coronavirus darkened the world, Martinez is telling her viewer that “we will BLOOM TOGETHER.” The floral pattern reappears as eyelashes, emphasizing the artist’s themes of self-growth. The depiction of the face has Cubist undertones, with the distortion of the features reminding me of art produced during the 20th-century movement.
Melanin
Martinez designed this work as a cover for singer Ciara’s single “Melanin.” The song is an anthem for Black women, praising the color of their skin and accentuating their feminine power. The cover reflects the song’s core, with each woman having her own unique hairstyle and color, along with distinct jewelry. Although there is a lack of facial structure, each skin tone is different, possibly meaning that melanin appears in different colors: which should all be highlighted.
You can follow Cristina Martinez along on her art journey via Instagram: @sew_trill. Her creations are available for purchase on her website: http://juneandmars.com/shop-all.