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David Martinez Delgado

[edit] Life

David Martinez Delgado (b. 1980- ), a Cuban-born artist, paints the urban landscapes of his native land, Cuba, with its magnificent architectural ruins, symbols of both metaphor and protest, death and regeneration. From an early age, David's inclination for the arts was obvious. At the age six, his first gallery show was presented at the Biblioteca Nacional, Cuba, as part of a collective gallery exhibition of elementary-age children.

A graduate of the prestigious Academy of San Alejandro, citadel to some of the most respected Cuban artists both past and present like Wilfredo Lam and Amelia Pelaez, among many others, David Martinez has inherited a rich tradition steeped in the cultural past of his ancestors, and torchbearer of people from his generation. This inheritance has become the onus of a pastoral setting still defining itself, particularly as interpreted by the intergenerational society of a post 1959-revolutionary, communist Cuba, an aesthetic that, oddly, is not necessarily political, nor for that matter is it revolutionary. Rather, it is heartfelt, something that has unleashed a kaleidoscope of vistas often realistic and grim, often tender and nostalgic, always creative, regenerating.

In most, if not all, of David Martinez’s works, there is a distinctive nostalgia, though not of the same type as of some other artists of his generation, or of the present artistic production of Cuban artists living in exile. His landscapes are not limited to a certain concept, ideal, or symbolism. Hence, if some of his canvases have certain political undertones, it is but just one of the many symbolisms he brings to light. This is a work of social coherence, a dialogue of sorts, even contemplation.

[edit] Works

Surprisingly, the artist, whoever he is, says very little. He steps back, contemplates, and lets you view the sea, the bandaged-like crumbling buildings, the pose of females looking like androgynous men from another century or even daring works of two females in a lesbian act of quiet, meditative masturbation Desde tu balcon. There are boats and rafts emptied of people. There is a phantasmagoria of lights, shadows, colors, such as in Luces.

David’s art at this point can be categorized and interpreted at many levels. What is a common theme in his paintings is an attempt to understand the circumstances of his surroundings, a venue from which he can start to patch-up the incongruence of his homeland. It is an art of which seeks to, first, define his past and then only redefine the social milieu of the present, a present as dilapidated as the ruins he paints, but ruins that remain grandiose and elegant nonetheless, unsettling and which extend the perimeter of the genre especially his portraitures, such as El gallo y yo.

Artists from any generation have sought to understand the blueprint of their existence in similar fashion. These are, mostly, young artists seeking to reclaim, or understand, a past they may not know much about, except, perhaps, through hearsay or family lore.

The problem is that the past is, at best, illusory and often deceptive; and the present, even under the best of circumstances, remains closed-in, especially as this may apply to a socio-politico system based on paternalistic authority and which seeks to control every aspect of a person’s life. Hence, symbolically, it is not unusual to find towers in many of David’s paintings; towers that seem to cleave out from under an ocean or from some dark oceanic ether spiraling up to an even darker and even murkier open space, the sky. In Luces, for example, fractured city lights become reflections that can be viewed at any angle and still look the same; there doesn't seem to be any up or down. Amazingly enough, for a painting as bright and with such dream-like quality, the background itself is painted in a plain, rich dark tone from which not only lights, but balconies, streets, windows, among many other things, swirl and turn over and around simultaneously, as viewed from a kaleidoscope. It is an amazing work, one which surpasses all others in quality, theme, and beauty.

Most of David's paintings are now in private collections worldwide, including: the United States, Spain, Venezuela, Panama, England, Italy, Santo Domingo and, of course, Cuba.

[edit] Assessment

David Martinez, I think, falls into a category of artist who seem to want to paint theor suroundings, give it meaning in fact, despite its sadness or tragedy. His art is similar to the art of many other artists, even of dissimilar background. Mainly, I think, is the Italian émigré, Joseph Stella, and Ohio-born, Hart Crane, both of whom produced works of art that sought to find meaning within certain symbols. For example, Stella’s, Battle of Lights, Coney Island (1914) and New York Interpreted V: The Bridge (1922), are thematically similar to Martinez’s, Luces (2001), among many other works he's produced.

In many ways, David is still an artist trying to find an image, a symbol, a category to place himself. His art is embryonic, though always baffling and often disturbing.

Living now in the United States, David Martinez's new experiences will have much influence in his newer works, assuredly. As it seems to be a Cuban tradition, he is now an émigré, or an artist living in exile. He joins hands with that diverse group of young immigrants who, ultimately, define themselves in hyphenated terms. While this may not necessarily mean that the thematic subjects he explored in Cuba will change, what it does mean is that his future, more mature art will no longer depict ports surrounded by broken pieces of wood and towers that meander high up to a sky. This time the artist can look beyond, at the horizon, and much like the man himself, he will be able to interpret that new landscape of dreams. It is anyone’s guess what this will be like once his canvases waken up to the morning’s clarion.