Rock CYFI Martinez

Rock CYFI Martinez is a contemporary aerosol artist whose work draws on the social, cultural and natural history of site-specific surfaces. He was raised in Tucson, Ariz., where he was first exposed to public art through the murals that lined the Community Project complex his family was raised in. As a self-taught artist, Martinez developed his craft by learning alongside other graffiti writers in his community. This grassroots education and the trials that come from working in a street-culture medium outside of the traditional scope of fine art, influenced his understanding of public places and spaces; namely who they are for, and by extension, who was not welcome. Throughout his body of work, Martinez explores this tension and seeks to amplify the voices and narratives of those who have been disenfranchised and marginalized throughout history.

Martinez’ family has been rooted in the southern Arizona area for generations. As a mixed-race Tucson native, he often draws from his Mexican-American and Yaqui cultural heritage as a source of inspiration and understanding. Throughout the Yaqui wars, his family was detribalized. Martinez seeks to reconnect with his community and culture through his art and social practice. He is drawn to subjects spanning spirituality, technology addiction, evolution and civil rights, and he draws inspiration from early American modernists, often using abstraction and pop culture devices to layer meaning. Because he works in large-scale formats, he utilizes harmonious color stories that are intended to draw the viewer deeper into the work. Martinez’ installations are intended to be multi-sensory experiences.

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