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Jel Martinez: Taking Street Art to the Next Level

Jel Martinez:  Taking Street Art to the Next Level

 

 

Introduction to Jel Martinez.   1:04 min.  Interview:  Raymond Elman.  Post-Production:  Lee Skye.  Music: E Buddah.  Recorded via Zoom:  7/25/2024.

 

JEL MARTINEZ (b.1976) is a Cuban American artist, born and raised in Miami, Florida.

Martinez’s practice began with making graffiti art in the late 1980s as an original member of the Ink Heads Crew.

Observing the paradox wherein metropolitan cleanup crews remove one form of art graffiti only to give rise to another, his current artistic vision is deeply rooted in the process of vandalism removal. In his more traditional paintings, he merges earlier artistic influences with a figurative style known as “buffs,” bestowing upon his work a distinct post-modern aesthetic. These “buffs” manifest as contemporary patterns that also have a dialogue with Abstract Expressionism.

His canvases mirror the intricate layers found outdoors in the urban environment. His artistic language incorporates elements of texture, acrylic, enamel, oil, and ink. These materials converge to form a mosaic of free-floating patches of color, akin to the buffs found in urban settings.

— https://jelmartinez.com/

 

The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 30 seconds and 16 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

 

 

Buff Documentary:   3:35 min. 

Excerpt from “The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal,” by Matt McCormick.

 

SERENDIPITY:     0:43 sec..

What was your first awareness of art of any discipline?

 

DEVELOP A VOICE:    7:03 min.

When you were in elementary school, did you feel like you were a better artist than the other kids?

 

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:    15:48 min.

What kinds of risks were you taking when you started making Street Art?

 

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:    3:20 min.

Was there a point in time when you became aware of the Abstract Expressionists like Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, and Cy Twombly?

 

DEVELOP A VOICE:    2:03 min.

Did you go to art school?

 

DEVELOP A VOICE:    1:03 min.

Do they teach how to make graffiti in college art classes these days?

 

UNDERSTANDS ARTISTS’ NEEDS:     1:25 min.

Do you know any graffiti artists who have “straight” jobs like being a lawyer or accountant?

 

UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS OF ART:    13:54 min.

When did you start getting paid to make Street Art?

 

CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND:    5:02 min.

How did the civic process of graffiti removal motivate you to incorporate “removal” into your artwork?

 

SERENDIPITY:    2:47 min.

Have you considered exhibiting the evolution of your art over time — a series of creating, weathering, removing, etc. — almost like a performance piece in a gallery or museum?

 

CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND:    8:35 min.

What is the best future you envision for graffiti as an art form?

 

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION:    4:34 min.

What’s your favorite movie?