B. 1981, MANZANILLO, CUBA
Yornel Martínez is a post-conceptual artist who subverts the function of discursive elements – books, fonts, texts, archives, etc. – in order to alter their meaning. His interests reside in “visually transcending the limits of language.” Collaboration is an integral aspect of Martínez’s practice. He often invites other artists to participate in the deconstruction and reconstruction of textual objects and their related environments. For example, for the 2014 Havana Biennial he collaborated with Damian Ortega, among others, in a project comprised of interventions in the bookstore Fayad Jami, where he also featured “books as art” by contemporary Cuban artists.
He has exhibited widely in Cuba and the United States, has been the recipient of various awards that include the Antonia Eiríz Prize for painting, and his work was recently acquired by the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).
