Visual artist Patrick Martinez's solo exhibit at Dallas Contemporary opened one night before the start of the Dallas Art Fair.
On Wednesday morning, staff and fellow artists got an early walkthrough.
"I want to speak to beauty," Martinez said. "But we don't live in a world where we're not conflicted with other things that come up."
Martinez works in neon, cinder blocks, plaster, wood, and vinyl to let his art speak about topics of today. Themes of immigration, gentrification, education, and socio-economics are presented from a Latinx, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color perspective.
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"The reality is this country, we have a complicated past," Martinez said. "If we don't talk about those things, then how can we move forward?"
A Peechee fold series, based on the vintage student folders with educational information and photos inside, has been reimagined for today. One of the works in the series is called 'America's Most Violent Week.'
"There was Philando Castile that was murdered by police in Minnesota," Martinez said. "But also the same week was the shootings in Dallas, and police officers were killed."
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The exhibit isn't confined to Dallas Contemporary. Neon installations are at a bakery in Oak Cliff and a downtown Dallas restaurant, and another is coming to the Katy Trail soon.
'Histories' coincides with the start of the Dallas Art Fair, showcasing works of modern and contemporary art from galleries around the world.
The Dallas Art Fair is April 4-7. 'Histories' will be on exhibit at Dallas Contemporary through September 1.
