Providing a glimpse into his 'Summer Studio' of 1963, Raymond Martinez adapts the exploratory nature of the work space to the canvas itself, focusing on questions of form and colour. The use of multiple framing devices within the painted image re-appropriates the technique of mise en abyme, with miniature versions of similar canvases on the upper right. This multiplied imagery likewise highlights the aspect of work in progress – as often experienced when visiting an artist’s studio where canvases in different stages of completion build up against the surfaces.
A contemporary of David Hockney and a student of Frank Auerbach, Welsh-Spanish artist Raymond Martinez built success throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Questioning the impact of the gallery system on his approach to production, Martinez decided to withdraw to a converted monastery in Italy to focus on contact with nature – the primary inspiration for his landscapes. Reflecting on this turning point, he has stated: "I became increasingly worried that it was in charge of me. I knew I would no longer be in the commercial art market, but consider painting to be of more personal value, if I took time out to deepen my knowledge and depth of painting.”
After years spent abroad Martinez’s most recent work sees him returning to the place of his birth, the dynamic and rugged coastlines of Wales.
