Sharpie,marker and coloured pencil on paper

15 × 21 cm. 6 × 8 1/4 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom left; inscribed on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Timothy Taylor, London
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector form the above

Note: A label of London Timothy Taylor is affixed on the reverse

Eddie Martinez' Artist Diary
An Illustration of Dramatic Lines and Punches

Self-taught American artist Eddie Martinez (b.1977, Connecticut, USA) is known for his collaged and colourful visual expressions using oil paint, spray-paint, markers, wet-tissue and many mediums. In drastic motions, overlapping technique and composition, Martinez epitomizes the artistic movement of action painting and Neo-Expressionism. His idiosyncratic style was once described as “indomitable” in American Interview Magazine. As an acclaimed and celebrated contemporary artist, Martinez had his inaugural solo exhibition at Allston Skirt Gallery in Boston in 2005. Since then, he has had countless opportunities to display his works in major museums and important institutions, such as Yuz Museum Shanghai, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and The Drawing Center in New York. Furthermore, his works were widely collected by Saatchi Gallery, London, Marciano Art Foundation, and private collector Jay Chou. While his canvas works seems to highlight his oeuvre, Martinez' paper works are another avenue and important collection into his creative mind and diary. Untitled (Lot 22) and Study No.6 (Lot 21) are unequivocally remarkable paper works that affirm his initial, spontaneous and creative ideas.

Our vision immediately runs with the thick and bold movements of the black marker in Untitled. Alike the quick and spontaneous punch of a boxer, a black line appears in spaces of the plane, and builds the interior mouth of a laughing wave, as if the character was made to greet intended viewers, such as dolphin. Behind the abstracted blue is muted yellow that reminisces imagery of the moon and sun. Such pairing composition engages the memory of an animated cartoon. As a classic example of his paper works, the brushwork and composition in Untitled demonstrate the freedom in abstraction which is limited in the figurative genre. In bold, expansive and illustrative movements, Martinez is able to relax and submerge into the world of his own imagination, and quickly sketch his instant inspiration in his visual diary.

A narrative can be ascertained in Study No.6 of Martinez's visual diary. As a quick sketch, the three classic figures in Martinez's oeuvre appears on the right as half-abstracted figures enjoying a meal gathering and in a discussion. On the table, colourful and miscellaneous objects appear to suggest a lively ambience. Ranging from table tennis net, ashtray, a pear, and a drink on its side, these objects suggest a scenery of group gathering. The figures are also depicted with bold lines, which emphasizes dimensionality. Despite being a small-scaled sketch, sketches are important documentation of his everyday observations and encounters. From riding the train, to walking, or even a short period of time in between dates, sketches can be drawn to record instant emotions and inspirations. These documentations were once exhibited as an entire Studio-Wall exhibit in 2018. Therefore, Study No. 6 is known to be a developed result of Martinez's spontaneous inspiration.

Price estimate:
HKD: 50,000 - 80,000
USD: 6,400 - 10,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 69,600