Mario Martinez (Mars-1)

Mario Martinez (Mars-1) was born in Boulder, Colorado in 1977. At the age of 13, he began writing graffiti in his hometown of Fresno. He later attended Academy of Art in San Francisco, where he currently lives and works; remaining heavily active in the city’s contemporary art scene. His unique imagery explores possibilities of otherworldly existence through highly developed, multi-layered landscapes. Often employing a fuzzy-logic aesthetic, Martinez’s artwork has a sentient appearance, like a tulpa—which in mysticism, is the concept of a materialized thought that manifests into physical form. His unique style has been described as urban-Gothic, sci-fi abstracted, quasi-organic form. Early inspirations include: graffiti, animation, comic book characters, UFOlogy, extraterrestrials, unexplored life, mysteries of the universe, alternate realities and the abstract quality of existence. The true meaning of Martinez’s imagery is ultimately left open to interpretation. The artist feels this brings his creations full-circle, encouraging his audience to decipher the messages he wishes to convey as well as to form ideas of their own.

	The Emergence of the Pop Imagist Group Exhibition Campo de la Madonna de L’Orto Cannaregio, Venice, Italy Jun 2 thru Sep 15, 2011
	Mario Martinez (Mars-1) Afterglow Gallery II Solo Exhibition May 26 thru Jun 25, 2011
	URBAN ALCHEMISTS Group Exhibition + public mural project WYNWOOD WALLS 2516 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami FL Dec 1 thru Dec 5, 2010
	Jonathan LeVine Gallery Five Year Anniversary Group exhibition Feb 27 thru Mar 27, 2010
	Mars-1 Nuclear Mystic Gallery I Solo Exhibition Feb 21 thru Mar 21, 2009
	Mario Martinez (Mars-1) Aerodynamics for Psychonauts Gallery II Solo Exhibition Mar 31 thru Apr 28, 2007
	RUAS DE SÃO PAULO: A BENEFIT ART AUCTION Sponsored by Brazil Foundation and Jonathan LeVine Gallery Jan 31 thru Jan 31, 2007 The Newspace 530 W 21st Street, NYC
	We'll Make a Lover Of You Group show Curated by Francesco LoCastro at Art Center/South Florida Nov 25 thru Jan 21, 2007 Opening reception - Friday, December 8th, 7pm-11pm 800 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL
	Matt Haber, Mars-1, Ben Woodward, Max Lawrence: Fork in the Road Gallery II Four Person Exhibit Jun 4 thru Jul 2, 2005 Opening reception - Saturday, June 4th, 6pm-9pm
	Pop Pluralism Grand Opening for NYC debut of Jonathan LeVine Gallery Feb 5 thru Mar 5, 2005 Opening reception - Saturday, February 5th, 6pm-9pm