Des-Colores – Jet Martinez

For "Des-Colores" (an opposing take on the Mexican folk song, "De Colores"), Martinez departs from his familiar multi-colored realm to confront a world riddled with loss, and the cognitive dissonance between creating work that aims to be beautiful and uplifting in the midst of natural devastation. Using a monochromatic palette becomes the point of departure to reflect on the rapid degradation of the Earth's natural systems; Martinez uses his visual language to not only acknowledge the perpetual mourning we face as a society but to question our compliance in the removal of Nature, Love, and Color from an otherwise vibrant existence.

Jet Martinez (b. Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, 1973) is an Oakland-based artist and muralist internationally esteemed for his lively and often large-scale folk-inspired artworks. From 2004 to 2014, Martinez held a seat as director of San Francisco's Clarion Alley Mural Project, further preserving and enhancing the diverse art and culture in the city's historic Mission District. For more than a decade, Martinez has used his striking and meticulously organic floral patterns and botanical scenes as a catalyst for universal discourse on ecological and social issues.

First Amendment Gallery invites you to join us for the opening reception of "Des-Colores" on Saturday October 5th from 7-10pm at 1000 Howard St. San Francisco. For further inquiries on the artist or available works, please contact [email protected].