The work of Narsiso Martinez

“Del Peru, 2016” is a black and white ink drawing of a man wearing an industrial mask, baseball hat, and with a large sunglasses almost covering his whole face.  He looks like a bee.  On closer look, he becomes what the artist presents him to be:  an agricultural worker.  What the man is, is emphasized by his image printed on an agricultural carton together with the description and colors of its contents:  mangoes.

Martinez was born in Oaxaca, Mexico in 1977.  He came from a simple family and as a young man, worked in farms.  He came to the United States as a 20-year old with just a 9^th grade education.  The limited education did not discourage him.  Immediately upon arrival, he enrolled in a California adult community school and concentrated on learning English.  He completed high school at age 29.  After completing his Associate Degree, he completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Cal State Long Beach and graduated in 2012.  He is now completing his master’s degree in Fine Arts from the same school.  Currently, Martinez is Artist-in-Residence at the Long Beach Museum of Art.

When he arrived in the United States, Martinez worked as an agricultural worker.  The experience of picking fruits and vegetables largely influenced his art.  He uses oil paints, charcoal, collages, ink and printmaking to depict his theme.  A black and white head covered by a baseball hat and a kerchief is printed on the inside of a vegetable carton.  Another image is printed on the flattened whole carton of oranges.  Martinez’s work of incorporating the industrial design of the containers and the images and colors of cabbages, strawberries, and asparagus strengthened the emotional impact of his images.

Cynthia Montes

December 11, 2017