Lesley D. Martinez
Lesley D. Martinez
Artist, Lesley D. Martinez, explores the visual history of her AfroMexican Ancestry, referencing cultural aesthetics found in African masks, Mexican sugar skulls, and traditional embroidery and textile designs, combining it all through her love for Urban Cartography in what she calls a “Collective Portrait.” The choice of using ink on Papyrus and Hosho paper is layering the texture of fragile, ancient manuscripts that reference the passing on of legacy. Her work ink work has sold in international markets including Spectrum Miami in 2021. Currently a 2022 James Weldon Johnson fellow in the arts. Represented by Connect Gallery, Chicago, IL
Martinez’s work unearths the intrinsic understanding that the visual components of cultural identity are a type of “knowing” and spiritual language embedded in our bloodlines.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science, National Louis University, a Master’s of Science in Marketing and Brand Management, Walden University, and a Ph.D. Candidate in Community Psychology, focus on economic justice, National Louis University.