Curatorial Statement
Exhibition Posted Online: Monday, August 8, 2022 at 10 am MT
Antonio Martinez was born and raised in Hutchinson, Kansas. He received his BFA in ceramics at Wichita State University in 2014 and his MFA from the University of Kansas in 2018. He has taught at numerous universities and art centers while exhibiting his work nationally. His work has also been published on numerous occasions in Ceramics Monthly with most recently being one of their 2021 Emerging Artist. Currently, he is working out of Omaha Nebraska where he is an instructor at Metropolitan Community College.
My fascination within ceramics lies in the objects ability to transcend purpose. They can take on new forms of functions as they become entwined into our daily lives, rituals, and identity. This approach allows me to explore modes of utility that emphasizes a forms stature or lack thereof through their fabrication and minimal use of color. By assembling wheel thrown and slab-built components, I strive to create new forms that are dynamic, delicate, dignified, and balanced. Slip and textures are added as ornamentation to activate surfaces but is obscured through the glaze. These quiet forms are then contrasted with moments of vibrancy that blend and define lines between fluxed and stable surfaces. Through their poise, I hope to allow the viewer to reflect upon the vessels and begin to re-contextualize their roles, function, and place.
-Antonio Martinez