Ernel Martinez was born in the small country of Belize and raised in south central Los Angeles and Detroit. His introduction to art was through the underground world of graffiti. Martinez studied art at the Pratt Institute and obtained his BFA from Kutztown University. In 2004, he received his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Based out of the Philadelphia area, Martinez explores creative methods to give underserved communities the tools to tell their stories through art making. He uses their stories as a framework to produce artwork based in social practice that engages and builds dialogue, and believes that art enriches communities and is the path to “true” collaboration.
Artworks
76ers: Beyond the Court
South Philadelphia
ASpire: No Limits
South Philadelphia
At the Crossroads
Upper Holmesburg (small)
A Place to Call Home (Community Mural)
West Philadelphia
Art Sanctuary
Southwest Center City
Dick Allen
Ed Bradley: Curious, Relentless, Timeless
West Philadelphia
Engage the Change
North Philadelphia
Heart of a Champion: Tribute to Smokin’ Joe Frazier
North Philadelphia
Paint Me Like I Am
Southwest Philadelphia
Tribute to Charles Fuller
North Philadelphia
The Colored Conventions: A Buried History (East)
South Philadelphia
The Colored Conventions: A Buried History (West)
South Philadelphia
Why We Love Coltrane
North Philadelphia
Why We Love Coltrane (Reenvisioning)
Strawberry Mansion
Building Connections: Walls of Identity, Walls of Pride
Fathers and Children Together: A Father’s Love is a Child’s Treasure
