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An exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Patrick Martinez.
On view October 13 – January 24, 2026
The University Art Gallery at California State University, Dominguez Hills in collaboration with the PRAXIS art engagement program present Patrick Martinez: Histories, Volume 2, a solo exhibition by the Los Angeles-based artist.
The public is invited to a reception on Wednesday, October 22 from 4 to 7pm.
The artist will give a public talk about his work on Wednesday, January 21 at 3 p.m.
In Histories, Volume 2, Martinez continues his ongoing exploration of layered urban environments, cultural memory, and social justice. The exhibition examines the city as an evolving archive, an ever-changing surface where stories of resilience, struggle, and belonging are continuously written and rewritten.
Martinez’ large-scale mixed-media paintings, neon works, and installations transform materials drawn from the built environment including stucco, tile, signage, and graffiti into meditations on community and place. These works reimagine the landscape as a places of personal histories, foregrounding the architecture of everyday life as a repository of collective experience.
Throughout the exhibition, Martinez fuses references to Mesoamerican visual traditions, protest murals, and street aesthetics. His luminous neon word pieces, inspired by signage from corner stores and local businesses, illuminate the power of language and visibility in shaping identity and resistance.
Through his layering of materials, symbols, and cultural signifiers, Martinez’s work reflects a deep commitment to social engagement and to honoring the often-unseen labor, creativity, and resilience of BIPOC communities.
Histories was organized by Rafael Barrientos Martínez for Dallas Contemporary. Histories, Volume 2 is presented as part of CSUDH’s PRAXIS art engagement program. It is made possible with generous funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pasadena Art Alliance.
