Photography by Edward C. Robison III.
America Is for Dreamers 2 (Los 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
Dimensions24 7/8 x 36 x 3 in. (63.2 x 91.4 x 7.6 cm)
Inscription(s)verso, u.l., scratched into black acrylic framework: AP3
verso, u.r., scratched into black acrylic framework: M22
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2021.56
ClassificationSculpture
Provenance(Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA); purchased by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2021
On ViewNo
This artwork's face covers about 123× the area of a tennis ball.Drawn to the same scale.