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Photography by Edward C. Robison III.

America Is for Dreamers

Patrick Martinez borrows the visual language of neon signs used in storefront windows in his L.A. neighborhood. Instead of trying to sell a product, Martinez’s works feature slogans plucked from protest signs, news headlines, and civil rights demonstrations spanning this country’s history. About his works, Martinez states, “To be honest, I don’t really think I will reshape anyone’s politics or point of view. I would like to record history that will inevitably be pushed back on and contested.”

ArtistPatrick Martinez, born 1980
Date2017/2021
MediumNeon on acrylic, transformer, and wire
Dimensions21 x 26 x 3 in. (53.3 x 66 x 7.6 cm)
Inscription(s)verso, u.l., scratched into black acrylic framework: AP1 verso, u.r., scratched into black acrylic framework: M22
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2021.55
ClassificationSculpture
Provenance(Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA); purchased by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2021
On ViewNo
America Is for Dream…21 × 26 in.Tennis Ball2.7 in. diameter

This artwork's face covers about 75× the area of a tennis ball.Drawn to the same scale.