LILIAN MARTINEZ

LILIAN MARTINEZSTONE FRUIT

October 23 - December 4, 2021
KETCHUM, IDAHO

OCHI is pleased to present Stone Fruit, Lilian Martinez’s fifth solo exhibition with the gallery, on view by appointment in Ketchum, Idaho from October 23 through December 4, 2021.

Stone Fruit features new large-scale paintings and works on paper that depict a visionary world inhabited by women of color who bask in comfort as they enjoy leisure, sport, and snack. Ladies stroll, play tennis, eat fruit, use the sauna, and lounge in landscapes and interiors of soft blues, sun-faded yellows, blush, and lavender. With calm expressions and relaxed poses, they are framed by palms, monsteras, and blooming cacti, often accompanied by their pets.

Martinez’s protagonists represent a collective desire to occupy space peacefully and safely—and so their beautiful, brown bodies expand physically and metaphorically across each surface and take up space! Full of large limbs, generous curves, and comfy, flowing fashions adorning larger than life figures—there is no room for negative energy, physical or emotional violence, or false scarcity in any painting. Eschewing aphorisms such as fake-it-till-you-make-it, Martinez builds the world she wants to live in, populating it with individuals she can relate to. Her ongoing interest in classlessness—a push away from systemic hierarchical thinking—underscores her general philosophies of inclusivity and attainability.

With time, energy, and many gentle brushy marks, Martinez presents women that don’t just survive, but thrive. The paintings in Stone Fruit offer juicy flesh surrounding a hard pit—none of which is possible without the right conditions or context. Simultaneously signifying sculpture, culture, and history, Martinez carves out a space for herself and others like her—what’s so funny ‘bout peach, love, and understanding?

Lilian Martinez (b. 1986, Chicago, IL) makes bright and bold drawings and paintings that blend representation, historical iconographies, and contemporary motifs that visually prioritize happy and healthy brown women. Martinez earned a BFA in Photography from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and currently lives and works between Yucca Valley and Los Angeles, CA. Alongside her studio-based practice, Martinez operates BFGF, a lifestyle art brand that produces accessible and functional art objects. Martinez’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, VA; The Naughton Gallery in Belfast, Ireland; Gallery Commune in Tokyo, Japan; Taymour Grahne in London, UK (forthcoming); SWISH Projects in San Diego, CA (forthcoming); and OCHI in Sun Valley, ID and Los Angeles, CA. Her work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, ARTnews, apartamento, Juxtapoz, LALA Magazine, Nationale, ArtPractical, and AUTRE.

 

 

An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down with a dog at her feet, surrounded by flora.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down on a rock having lunch. A tennis ball, grapes and bananas sit beside her. A cacti and picnic blanket sit in the foreground.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down, surrounded by flora with a dog sitting by her side. A bowl of fruit rests on a small column next to her.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman standing while bouncing a basketball.An acrylic painting on paper by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down in a sauna in her one-piece bathing suit.An acrylic painting on paper by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting on a chair.An acrylic painting on paper of a woman wearing a jacket and purse, holding an umbrella in the rain with a dog standing by her side.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down on a chair, right hand on her face, left hand on her leg and a dog sitting down beside her.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of two women standing, forward facing in a side by side embrace, with a melon balanced on their shoulders.An acrylic painting on paper by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting down as another woman stands behind her, surrounded by flora.An acrylic painting on paper by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting on a chair, right hand on the side of her face, left hand on her lap. A bowl and some bananas sit beside her foot.An acrylic painting on linen by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman on a clay tennis court next to a stone vase. The woman is holding a tennis racquet, swinging at a tennis ball, with trees and flora in the background.An acrylic painting on paper by artist Lilian Martinez of a woman sitting in a lounge chair, located on a balcony with a dog lying at her side.