The exhibition expounds upon Martinez’ interest in exploring alternate histories where women, particularly women of color, are not excluded from specific cultural narratives typically associated with privilege.

Through her paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, Martinez blends past with present and future, combining classical architectural elements with contemporary pop cultural references to create the settings for her portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. Her flat, bold style recalls iconic predecessors like Matisse, while her subject matter prioritizes brown bodies that have been heretofore omitted from these kinds of images.

Lilian Martinez (b. 1986, Chicago, IL) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. She earned a BFA in Photography from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is the founder of BFGF, an art brand working with digitally printed and woven versions of her artwork. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, most recently with Ochi Projects, Los Angeles The Naughton Gallery, Belfast, Ireland and Commune, Tokyo, Japan.