Homegrown

Charlie James Gallery is proud to present Homegrown, an exhibition curated by Patrick Martinez of artworks by members of his family, many of whom were practicing artists. The shows features works by Eliseo Martinez, Eliseo Martinez, Jr., Daniel Martinez, Ismael Martinez, Ruben Martinez, Rayvan Martinez, Chris Martinez and Patrick Martinez. In gathering these works together for the first time, Martinez found an unexpected stylistic continuity running up his family tree: graphic works by Patrick's cousin Rayvan Valdez Martinez (Gonzales), an activist, artist, designer, and silkscreen printer who worked at "La Raza Silkscreen/Graphic Center" from 1977 to 1982, bear resemblance to the crisp linework of Martinez's Pee Chee folder series of prints and drawings or the more recent Home Depot drawings. Elsewhere, photographs by his father and sculptures by his grandfather evince sustained and simultaneous dedication to craft and an interest in the Los Angeles landscape over decades of family history.