Summer 2015 International Artist-in-Residence, Gabriel Martinez, answers questions about his work, his life, and his time at Artpace.

Where are you from?

Alamogordo, New Mexico

When did you start getting interested in art? Was there a defining moment you experienced that indicated art should be your chosen path?

I drew a lot as a kid. on paper plates and bills and anything I could find. There wasn’t a defining moment as much as a slow realization that the water was boiling.

Give three words that describe Artpace to you.

familial, unique, intense

Tell us a little about your work.

My work is the result of experimentation, intuition, and research. It isn’t bound to a specific medium. In opposition to the singular object of art, I situate my actions within a system where the visual, performative, and discursive features can overlap. It is always in flux and is rarely seen in all its manifestations by the same audience. It is my aim to better understand the temporal relationship between subjects, objects, and space. These seemingly disparate elements are linked by all that escapes the immediate body of art. My project is to work with what is outside of the art object to create a larger tapestry of informational circuits.

How do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration by not looking for it. I leave the door open and let the wreckage of the past pile up. fears, quips, and freudian slips are fair game.