LUCIO P. MARTINEZ

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LUCIO P. MARTINEZ

MARTINEZ, Lucio P b. Manila 1947. Printmaker. He graduated with a degree in fine arts at the Philippine Women’s University in 1966. After this, he worked closely with Manuel Rodriguez Sr, at the latter’s contemporary graphic art workshop, exploring every newfangled approach to print techniques with colleagues Manuel Jr and Marcelino Rodriguez, and Virgilio Aviado.

Martinez’s best medium is woodcut which he uses with a keen sense of dynamism that is powerful in its simplicity. He depicts portraits from storybooks as though from an innocent, eager child’s point of view. Not concerned with individualized character, he is rather engrossed with bringing out a comical fantasy of playful figures in quasinaive renditions in black supplemented by two other flat colors. A charming, primitivistic design results from an intimate knowledge of wood grain and skillful handling of the carver’s chisel. Most notable of his woodcut prints are Moses and the Flaming Tree, Queen Elizabeth, Adam and Eve, Statue of Liberty, The Juggler, all done in 1969-1970, was founded on a “single image” approach to space.

Among the group exhibitions he participated in were the First Indian Triennale of Art in New Delhi in 1968, the Fifth International Exhibition of Colored Graphic Prints in Switzerland in 1970, the Sepia Print Show in New York in 1973, the Kutingting at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Gallery in 1975, and “The Art of Fine Print: A View of 25 Years at the Museum of Philippine Art in 1980. He held solo exhibitions at the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) gallery in 1965 and the Luz Gallery in 1969.

He won the first and grand prize in the AAP annual competition of 1966 for his Contemplation, place in the painting category and 1967, best lithograph for his Playtime. His Visions of Rapture also won second and the grand prize in the Philippine Association of Printmaker’s annual competition of 1968. He now resides in the United States.