The work of Eddie Martinez merges figuration and abstraction, oftentimes pushing the boundaries of both to render an image that is uniquely his own.
The artist returns to his ongoing interest in painting flowers in Erosion of Flora—a historically rich topic that speaks to the tradition of still-life paintings across cultures. As the title suggests, however, Martinez’s version does not purport to be a static arrangement of visually appealing flowers. Rather, Martinez creates a compelling composition in which the only recognizable flower is placed off the center, with energetic lines and swaths of color covering the rest of the picture plane.
While some elements appear to be related to flowers—such as the blue and green shape on the left that appears to resemble butterflies—these components quickly lose their representational signification as they mingle with other abstract forms in the canvas. Through these gestural brush strokes and contrasting colors, placed on top of a white background with thick underpainting, the artist produces a spirited painting that is constantly in motion.