The Determined Spirit of Andre Martinez-Reed

Dancing with Destiny

“What is most important for me as an artist is to always create with true intentions and a determined spirit.”

-Andre Martinez-Reed

Andre Martinez Reed is the poster child of improvisation. He lives in the moment and reacts to whatever may come. In a typical week, his hands tackle canvas, concrete, and occasionally a melodic note or two. Yet, the physical demands of being a businessman, artist, and musician has not slowed him down, as he continues to fight convention and plow new territory in New York’s art world.

His work and life are inspired by the souls of what he calls “spirit people” or “artists who created work from a higher power”. Art monoliths like Picasso, Dali, Miro, Giacometti, and Mark Rothko inform his large, layered paintings and equally large and layered personality. An accomplished painter, musician and gallery director of the internationally recognized Henry Gregg Gallery, he is able to seamlessly juggle multiple conversations with artists and visitors without a hint of pretension. He draws energy from those around him, and returns it tenfold. While, of course, taking a fair amount of it back with him to the studio and create diverse paintings in oil and acrylics full of contrasting color, fluid patterns, and deep emotion.

In Dancing with Destiny (pictured above), we are immediately drawn into the composition by the careful balance of color reminiscent of some of Miro’s favorite hues. The warm red pushes the yellow outward and dares us to keep from falling in love with these soulful musicians.  The simplication of the dancers and their instruments forces us to focus on the movement. And isn’t that what dancing is all about? Movement–rhythm–feeling that beat and shaking your stuff like tomorrow might never come? It’s no surprise that this vibrant painting was created with the hands of a skilled musician that is no stranger to the power of music.

El Mosquetero

El Mosquetero (the Musketeer) reflects another of the many styles created by his versatile hand. Many at the exhibit, myself included, thought that this painting was from a different artist. What’s that? A display of multiple styles by the same artist? In New York? Blasphemy, you say! Its a significant departure in style from Dancing with Destiny, but the same careful attention is paid to the play between colors and layering. Here, Martinez blends abstraction with a profile in his rendering of a Musketeer that would make Picasso proud.

While much of his work deals with the abstraction of divinity and the result of the outside effecting what is within, this artist is not afraid to draw from his personal life. In Portrait of Joshua Wolfe, Martinez uses subdued tones in this commissioned painting that celebrates a close friendship with photographer Wolfe, winner of the 2009 Ansel Adams award. The urban style of this portrait reminds me of some of the stronger street art portrait memorials I have seen in LA.

In Biorhythm, the physical, emotional, intellectual and intuitive aspects of the soul are translated into dark blues and greens punctuated by bright orange and yellows. The eye can nearly make out a figure in flux, emerging (or disappearing?) between worlds. Yet another piece that explores the metaphysical without minding the rules of religious affiliation; Martinez’s work is more concerned with the human condition and its connection to spirituality rather than the confines of religion.

Chango stands as another expression of the artist’s adoration for music. The abstraction of Celia Cruz, a pioneer and legendary figure in Cuban music, depicts “La Reine De Salsa” (the Queen of Salsa) complete with golden crown in a proud pose, surrounded by earth tones that remind me of the bright red lips and dark complexion of an international icon.

A Determined Spirit is Alive in Dumbo

In this brutal economic climate, many see “going against the grain” or taking risks with their art as career suicide. These days, there are a few artists (let alone gallery directors) who are willing to take big risks, or make serious creative and business decisions based on their gut. And this where Martinez sets himself and his gallery apart from the pack, and why it has sustained for over seven years.

“Nothing can replace a painting that is done with a higher intention just as the masters from the past have always and others to follow will always do. Those are the lessons I choose to learn from, because if not I would paint just to follow a trend or please the masses, and that would be me taking part in this world becoming an institutionalized conveyor belt. My dear friend and great musician/ painter Gunter Hampel once said ‘all you see today is a copy, of a copy; of a copy that has already been done’, and that is a major issue today that concerns me.”

Martinez’s refusal to take part in our culture’s all too common act of regurgitation is, in itself, pretty daunting and dare I say “ballsy”. He is indeed a man who enjoys dancing with destiny. But he doesn’t just dance with it, he provokes it into taking the first swing. Not unlike the boxer who dances around his opponent and reacts to the ever changing circumstances of his environment, Martinez is willing to spar for a few rounds and go with the flow, but  he dares destiny to stop him from accomplishing everything he sets out to do.

I for one, as an artist and Latino, am proud of Andre’s passion, dedication, and pursuit of something beyond the art world’s status quo. And for that, on behalf of Lend Me Your Eyes, I thank you, Andre. I am currently working with Andre on a few ideas I have to expand the reach of the gallery and will definitely keep all of my lovely readers updated. Wish us luck, friends.

I will leave you with a few more inspiring words from Andre:

You cannot escape craftsmanship that has taken many years to master, and it all begins from following that intuitive feeling that leads you to create what is already within you. This is where I plan to continue with my work.

If your eyes and heart muscle enjoyed this exuberant art review and you are a major league fan of art, wit, wine and other good stuff, then do yourself a tasty flavor and hit the chubby SUBSCRIBE button at the end of this post to get FREE updates of all the good stuff using any service you wish, including EMAIL. Hooray!