Pow Martinez
Bio
Pow Martinez (b. 1983, Manila, Philippines; lives and works in Manila) is a Filipino artist known for his expressionistic style of painting, blending bold colors with demonic, mutant-like characters to create compelling canvases. Often resembling a beautiful nightmare, Martinez combines the mundanities of everyday life with elements of pop culture, resulting in darkly humorous works depicting society’s overconsumption.
Martinez is a recipient of the 2010 Ateneo Art Award for his exhibition 1 Billion Years at West Gallery, Philippines. He exhibits internationally and has worked with different media, from painting to sound. His recent exhibitions include State of Flux at Silverlens New York; City Prince/sses at Palais de Tokyo in Paris; Art Jakarta 2019 with Silverlens and ROH Projects; 50 Years in Hollywood at Pinto Art Museum in New York; Art Basel Hong Kong 2019 with Silverlens; WXXX, West Gallery, Manila. Martinez has also held a number of solo shows in major galleries in Manila, the most recent of which is Pow Martinez (2024) at Silverlens Manila. Early in 2022, Martinez had his first solo exhibition in Madrid entitled Underground Spiritual Unit at Galeria Yusto/Giner.
In 2018, he had a solo exhibition in Indonesia titled Aesthetic Police, as an outcome of his month-long residency program at OPQRStudio in Bandung.
Pow Martinez (b. 1983, Manila, Philippines; lives and works in Manila) is a Filipino artist known for his expressionistic style of painting, blending bold colors with demonic, mutant-like characters to create compelling canvases. Often resembling a beautiful nightmare, Martinez combines the mundanities of everyday life with elements of pop culture, resulting in darkly humorous works depicting society’s overconsumption.
Martinez is a recipient of the 2010 Ateneo Art Award for his exhibition 1 Billion Years at West Gallery, Philippines. He exhibits internationally and has worked with different media, from painting to sound. His recent exhibitions include State of Flux at Silverlens New York; City Prince/sses at Palais de Tokyo in Paris; Art Jakarta 2019 with Silverlens and ROH Projects; 50 Years in Hollywood at Pinto Art Museum in New York; Art Basel Hong Kong 2019 with Silverlens; WXXX, West Gallery, Manila. Martinez has also held a number of solo shows in major galleries in Manila, the most recent of which is Pow Martinez (2024) at Silverlens Manila. Early in 2022, Martinez had his first solo exhibition in Madrid entitled Underground Spiritual Unit at Galeria Yusto/Giner.
In 2018, he had a solo exhibition in Indonesia titled Aesthetic Police, as an outcome of his month-long residency program at OPQRStudio in Bandung.
Selected Works
Selected Works
In Affluenza, the subject stands alone in a humorously exaggerated position amidst objects signifying wealth: an ancient vase, a tasteful still-life painting, a decorative rug, and a framed portrait of a white dog. The title can be interpreted as a play of words—affluent, influenza, and influencer—a tongue-in-cheek commentary on social media and its effect on society.
Selected Exhibitions
Selected Press
- Monograph on artist Pow Martinez released
- August Round-Up
- Boredom Transports Artist Pow Martinez Into a Ridiculous But Authentic World
- Pow Martinez’s Painterly Figures Are Very Online
- For Pow Martinez, Painting Is Still Emerging
- Filipino artists showcase works at one of Europe’s top contemporary art museums
- Pow Martinez just painted these staircase walls of Palais de Tokyo in Paris