It’s often thought that a person’s past experiences shape who they are — especially their upbringing.
Though it can be hard to determine how an artist was influenced by their childhood, in some cases this influence shines through. For Latinx artist Emily Martinez, her pride in her Hispanic lineage is front and center.
“I was born in Queens, New York, but raised in Florida. I’m half Dominican and Mexican, and I would say my art is definitely shaped by my parents’ experiences being Latin Americans in America,” Martinez says.
The Florida-based artist recently created a site-specific installation at Faith Arts Village Orlando comprising, among other elements, several murals and a handcrafted cross in the center of the room adorned like an American flag. The 1-800-Eternity installation, which took Martinez about a month to complete and had to be created all on-site, was a departure for her, but she was inspired by one of her favorite artists, Pepón Osorio.
“When I saw people come into the room, and I got to see their expressions light up as they looked at my art and the things I crafted for the show — it was a great feeling,” says the young artist.
1-800-Eternity ends its month-long run at FAVO on Sunday, so it’s your last chance to stop by and light up the room.
1-800-Eternity Closing Nights; 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4-5; FAVO, 221 E. Colonial Drive, Room 249; instagram.com/emily.mart1nez; free.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | or sign up for our RSS Feed
This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2023.