Móyòsóré Martins : Now, They Know... by Traffic Creative Management

Móyòsóré Martins Now, They Know...

Black Men Can Love Too 2019 Oil on canvas 64 x 53 in. (160 x 132.5 cm)

“He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior,” says an old wisdom by Confusious. In that sense, the journey that is most enriching is the one that delves into the self, and the greatest art is often the product of an inner battle. Cezanne, Picasso, and Basquiat are amongst the great painters whose magnificent art was the product of a “creatively destructive” process. From this same artistic lineage comes Móyòsóré Martins: every painting is a pro-found journey into his inner battle, every brushstroke becomes a daring thrust, and every scratch inflicts a wound, only to artfully reconstruct anew. It is in Moyosore Martins’ unwavering authenticity that this deeply personal voyage resonates with all those who dare to “see” within. I hope these artistic jewels will open your eyes like they opened mine and tempt you to embrace vulnerability, to be exposed, and to be “seen.” Then you would know. “Now, they know...”

— Mazen Soueid

Solo Exhibition September 28 — October 11

Móyòsóré Martins Now, They Know... Galerie Tanit Beirut X Teal Contemporary East Village Building, Ground Floor Armenia Street, ar Mikhael Beirut, Lebanon

Hours Monday to Friday 11 AM – 7 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 5 PM Contact Teal Contemporary Mazen Soueid Phone: +9613656753 Email: msoueid@gmail.com

Basma Chidiac Phone: +961 71 096 868 Email: basma.chidiac@gmail.com

Galerie Tanit Beirut Phone: +961 1 562 812 Email: beirut@galerietanit.com www.galerietanit.com

MÓYÒSÓRÉ MARTINS (B. 1986)

Móyòsóré Martins, a self-taught mixed-media artist, uses his art to express his innately curious and spiritual nature. Raised in Lagos, Nigeria by a Brazilian father and a Nigerian mother from Ekiti state, Martins began using a paintbrush and pencil at a young age. He combines his traditional Yoruba cultural roots with a contemporary vision to create artwork that blends figurative, abstract, and narrative elements drawn from his unique life experience, including his journey from Nigeria to his Bronx studio. Martins’s deeply symbolic artwork frequently features cultural and personal iconography, reflecting his life experience. His paintings are richly textured and use bold brushstrokes, thick oil paint, drawings, scribbles, collaged materials, and text. The vibrant, heavily layered canvases often include spiritual elements and wishes manifested and fulfilled. In addition to painting, Martins also creates three-dimensional art through using found objects and mixed media. As Martins describes:

My artwork is intentionally raw. I like to use a lot of different materials and have rough-cut edges on the canvas. The paintings are textured with scratches, scribbles, and mud-like paint, as well as clay, liquid plastic, oil sticks, chunky layers of oil paint. I layer the background and then deconstruct them, which gives the feeling of wear and tear on the canvas. No painting is alike as each has symbolic patterns and encrypted messages hidden within it. I want to merge the vision with the given and the new world that I live in now. The word “Why?” is seen in a lot of the work because it leaves you asking the same question. Forbidden by his father to create or study art, Martins spent his college years in Ghana and the Ivory Coast studying computer science. He immigrated to New York City in 2015 to further pursue his artistic ambitions. Martins’ artwork has been exhibited at the Nassau County Museum (Roslyn, NY), TrafficArts (New York, NY), Long-Sharp Gallery (Indiannapolis, IN), Path Gallery (Los Angeles, CA), Dacia Gallery (New York, NY), Heath Gallery (New York, NY), and Grady Alexis Gallery (New York, NY).

Móyòsóré Martins Bronx Studio, NY 2023 4

EXHIBITIONS 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2022 2022 2022 2022 2021 2021 2021 2021 2019 2018 2017

PUBLICATIONS Forbes, Móyòsóré Martins Solo Show, June 2023 Flaunt, Móyòsóré Martins: The Artist Journey, June 2023 Artnet News-Buyers Guide Spotlight, 2023 Artnet News, Art Collectors, 2023 Forbes, Sotheby’s Contemporary Discoveries, 2023 NY Magazine/Curbed, 2022 Pattern Magazine, 2022 Considering Art Podcast, 2022 Yahoo News, 2022 WRTV, 2022 Forbes 2021 Portray Magazine 2021 Office Magazine 2021 Art Daily 2021 Móyòsóré Martins Shows Up to Paint, Podcast with Asher Gottesman, 2021 Forbes, 2019 Asiri Magazine, 2017

Instagram: @moysoremartins1910

It Takes a Minute 2023 Oil, oil sticks, pigments and graphite on canvas 104 x 80in. (260 x 200 cm)

They Didn’t See Us Coming 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas Three Panels each 72 x 36 in. (180 x 90 cm) 72 x 108 in. (180 x 270 cm)

Seen (Male) 2022 Oil on canvas 40 x 30 in. (100 x 75 cm)

Seen (Female) 2022 Oil on canvas 40 x 30 in. (100 x 75 cm)

Móyòsóré Martins bridges abstract, figurative, and iconographic symbolism. He expresses the beauty in the figure and the depth of its subject; he obsesses with a cartoon- like character that imbues his personal iconography and that has a deep symbolic meaning. His approach is narrative and realistic in the early works, returning to his childhood memories. The African statue is increasingly present and spiritually meaningful in his work. He is fascinated with contemporary plastic toy statues and collectibles from artists like Kaws, representing everything different in juxtaposition to the traditional Yaruba figures. A seminal work, “Watchman,” resonates; the painting is a study of the Yaruba figure and is interpreted by Martins as the man taking on his destiny, with a nod to his experience while employed as a night watchman in the Bronx—a lasting impression.

Martins expresses the emotion of the characters he deftly paints, the backgrounds layered, manipulated, scratched, and then infused with text. He places himself in the canvas, in the artwork, both in spirit and name, even his birthdate. He scribbles words, mathematical formulas, mantras, and prayers. He visually expresses his internal conversation, which shifts as his world does—as a visual biography. He resists being put in a box. His unique use of materials and story is the cord that ties his work together.

As Long As I Can 2023 Oil, oil sticks, pigments and graphite on canvas 116 x 84 in. (290 x 210 cm)

Alatishé (Problem owner is the problem solver) 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas 72 x 60 in. (180 x 150 cm) 15

Through It 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas 72 x 60 in. (180 x 150 cm) 14

Not While I’m Dreaming 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and charcoal on canvas 116 x 84 in. (290 x 210 cm)

TABLETS SET IV (I, II, III, IV) 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigments, and graphite on canvas 20 x 16 in. (51 x 41 cm) each 18

Móyòsóré Martins exhalts the tradition of the Abstract Expressionist painters—the beginning. Figurative and conceptualist elements then take the stage. Hatching, hard-handed distress brings the work together in harmony and depth—Móyòsóré’s own total. — Asher Edelman

Iwa Agba (Old ways) 2022 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas 78 x 60 in (198 x 152 cm)

Cow Caou 2022 Oil, oil stick, pigment, acrylic, and graphite on canvas 72 x 210 in. (180 x 525 cm) Unstretched¬¬¬¬

“Seeing is believing. As an artist I have so many people who look to me. Not many are privileged to the life I have. Even back home I was always privileged. I never took that for granted. I saw poverty. People are really suffering. I am very grateful. My achievements are for us all. Everyone is watching me. Sometimes it feels like a lot. Being an artist plays the added expectation for success, for fulfilling the path, for taking the journey.”

—Moyosore Martins

Know No Better 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas 72 x 60 in. (180 x 150 cm)

They Know I 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigments, and graphite on canvas 72 x 60 in. (180 x 150 cm)

‘Lot On My Hands 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas

72 x 60 in. (180 x 150cm) 26

Never Enough 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, and graphite on canvas

116 x 84 in. (290 x 210 cm)

Study for Attestation (Vouch) 2022 Oil, oil stick, pigment, charcoal, and graphite on canvas 60 x 48 in. (150 x 120 cm)

Tablet Set I 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigment, pastel, and acrylic on canvas, mounted on board (2) 24 x 18 in. (60 x 45 cm)

UNTITLED 2023 Oil, oil stick, pigments, graphite, and collage on cardboard mounted stretcher-bars 72 x 36 in. (180 x 90 cm)

“How many times... This painting is about my evolution—my artistic and personal growth. How many fears and self-doubt do I have to kill? Despite my vulnerability, I have just to let things play out. I’m observing my growth, and while acknowledging that nothing in life is smooth or permanent, it’s a very dark and deep place, and this painting expresses my constant need to tame and feed my inner demons and ego. The internal struggle allows me to get to where I am going.” —Móyòsóré Martins

How Many Times Do I Have to Kill Myself to Become Me 2022 Oil, oil stick, pigment, graphite on canvas 80 X 100 IN. (200 X 250 cm) 35

Móyòsóré Martins Now, They Know... Galerie Tanit Beirut X Teal Contemporary East Village Building, Ground Floor Armenia Street, ar Mikhael Beirut, Lebanon

Hours Monday to Friday 11 AM – 7 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 5 PM Contact Mazen Soueid Teal Contemporary Phone: +961 36 56753 Email: msoueid@gmail.com Basma Chidiac Phone: +961 71 096 868 Email: basma.chidiac@gmail.com Galerie Tanit Beirut Phone: +961 1 562 812 Email: beirut@galerietanit.com

All artwork included in this catalog are the unlimited worldwide copyright of Móyòsóré Martins ©2023. All photographs of the artist and studio are the copyright of Daniella Liguori ©2023 Catalog design by TrafficArts ©2023 www.traffic-nyc.com