Resume

Stay updated with the latest exhibitions, events, and announcements from Oscar Luis Martinez.

January 20, 2025

'Contemporary Latin American Artists'
Oscar Luis Martínez — Full Resume

 Download Full CV (PDF)

Exhibitions

2025
  • Publications & Parallel Projects — Between Memory and Metamorphosis, Collector’s Edition 60-page catalog (hardcover & softcover,). Distributed to curators, collectors, and institutions.
  • Website relaunch (oscarmartinez.com) with portfolio filters (Cultural Identity, Spiritual Connections, City Life, etc.).
2024
  • Hairpin Arts Center: Art Speaks, Logan Square, Chicago — Group exhibition pairing paintings with live jazz and spoken word.
  • Echoes: Weaving Identity and Belonging, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago — Hispanic Heritage Month by OH Art Foundation.
  • Solo Exhibition, 2024 Gallery, Chicago.
  • 2014 Gallery, Ukraine Village, Chicago.
2022
  • Solo show at the Chicago Art District Gallery.
2020
  • Spurlock Museum acquisition / Illini Union installation of paintings at the University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign.
2019
  • Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Museum of Art), Santurce, Puerto Rico.
  • 33 Contemporary Gallery, exhibition at the Zhou B Art Center, Chicago.
2015
  • GE Capital Corporation, Chicago.
  • National Puerto Rican Museum of Art and Culture — Solo exhibition and Raíces Award recipient. Exhibition scheduled to travel.
2014
  • Ponce Historical Museum’s Gallery — Solo exhibition, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  • Gallery OH, Red exhibition, Chicago.
  • United Foundation of Art and Technology’s Gallery, Chicago.
2013
  • Bruno Casiano Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Every 2nd Friday of the month: Oscar Luis Martinez Fine Art.
2012
  • Aug–Nov: Dreams and Mirrors, Latin American Artists, Aurora Public Art Commission’s Gallery, Aurora, IL.
  • Oscar Luis Martinez Fine Art, 2nd Friday’s monthly exhibitions.
  • Oct: Open Studio Exhibitions at the Chicago Art District.
2011
  • Oct: CelebreARTE, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL.
  • Oct: Symbols and Metaphors, Art Gallery of Kishwaukee College, Malta, IL.
  • Sep: Oscar Luis Martinez Fine Art, Chicago — Group Show (Marcos Raya, Paul Sierra, Eladio Gonzalez, Martin Soto, Zulian Martinez, Sergio Gomez), Pilsen East Artists' Open House.
  • Sep: University of Illinois at Champaign–Urbana, Vermette Gallery, Campbell Alumni Center.
  • Mar: South Suburban College, Chicago.
  • Apr: Illini Union Gallery, University of Illinois at Champaign–Urbana.
  • Sep: University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI.
  • Sep: Kankakee Community College, Kankakee, IL.
2010
  • Sep: Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN.
  • Feb–Mar: University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI.
  • Mar: Illini Union Gallery, University of Illinois at Champaign–Urbana.
2009
  • Sep–Dec: University of Illinois at Champaign–Urbana, Vermette Gallery, Campbell Alumni Center.
  • Sep: South Suburban College, Chicago.
2008
  • Aug 28 – Sep 25: Illinois Wesleyan School of Art.
  • May 5 – Jun 8: University Club of Chicago.
  • Oct: Union League Club of Chicago, IL.
  • Apr: Small Paintings, Pastiche Gallery, Chicago, IL.
  • Mar: Focus on Chicago: Photo and Digital Exhibition, 33 Collective Gallery, Chicago, IL.
2005
  • Jan: Journey — Solo exhibition at the Aurora Art Commission, Aurora, IL.
  • Oct: Hewitt Associates, Exhibition and Presentation, IL.
2003
  • Nov: International Group Invitational: The Me in Team, Bradley University Hauser Art Center, Peoria, IL.
  • Nov: Temple of Worship, La Casa Cultural Latina Gallery, UIUC.
  • Dec: Home: A Celebration of the Spirit of Roberto Clemente, Art Museum of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR.
  • Oct: Haciendo Patria, Collage Fine Arts Gallery, Chicago.
  • Remembrance, Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, IL.
  • Sep: Images from the Soul, Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary’s Gallery, Evanston, IL.
2002
  • Sep: Bank One Pilsen Branch, Chicago.
2000
  • Jun: Flat Iron Artist, ATC Gallery, Chicago.
1999
  • Sep: The Loggia Gallery, Fourth and Second Presbyterian Church — With Many Voices: A Celebration of Cultural Diversity, Chicago.
  • Frick Center Founder Gallery — Mirrors: Michele Tuohey and Oscar Martinez, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL.
  • Mar: UCE Foyer Art Exhibits Gallery, Unitarian Church of Evanston, IL.
1998
  • Jun: Earth Works Gallery — Group exhibition, Chicago.
  • Sep: Mirrors — Husband and Wife exhibition, Miami Dade Community College North Campus, Miami, FL.
1997
  • Mar: Inner Journey, Group exhibition, Northwestern University Settlement House Gallery, Chicago.
  • Jan: Addendum: More Chicago Artists, Northern Illinois University Art Museum Gallery, Chicago — curated by Peggy Doherty and Corey Postiglione.
1996
  • Oct: Visual Fusion, Field Museum, Chicago.
  • Hot, R.H. Love Contemporary Art Gallery, Chicago.
  • Jan: Figures, NIU Art Museum Gallery, Chicago.
1995
  • Oct: Días de los Muertos (Juried), NWAC Art Gallery, Chicago.
  • Sep: Latino Artists in Chicago and the Calumet Region (Juried), Northern Indiana Arts Association, William J. Bachman Gallery, IN.
  • Dissolving the Figure, Boeger Fine Arts Gallery, Triton College.
  • National City Bank group show, IN.
  • Apr: Valiente — Puerto Rican artists (Juried): NIU Gallery (DeKalb), NWAC Gallery, and South Shore Cultural Center, Chicago.
  • Jan: Figurative Work, David Adler Cultural Center, Libertyville, IL.
  • Archeology of the Mind, Columbia College Arts Gallery, Chicago.
  • Brichell Business Center Group Show, Miami, FL.
1994
  • Sep: Des Plaines Museum, Des Plaines, IL.
  • Aug: College of Lake County, Community Arts Gallery, Grayslake, IL.
  • May: ARC Gallery Midwest Regional Juried Exhibition — Beryl Wright, Juror (Associate Curator, MCA Chicago).
1993
  • Oct: Triton Arts Gallery — Triad of Harmonic Complexity (three-person exhibit), River Grove, IL.
  • Jun: Gallery of The Americas, Milwaukee, WI.
1992
  • Dec: 1st Latin American Masters Exhibition of Miniatures, Gary Nader Fine Arts Gallery, FL.
  • Oct: Noyes Gallery, Evanston.
  • Sep: Hucking Gallery, Columbia College, Chicago.
  • Jul: Sun/Expressions, Prospectus Gallery, Chicago.
  • Jun: Evanston Arts Center Vicinity Juried Exhibition — Roy Slade (Cranbrook) Juror — Cash Prize.
  • Jun: Botello Gallery — Collective Exhibition, Puerto Rico.
  • Gary Nader Fine Arts Gallery — Collective Exhibition.
  • Feb: Face to Face, Self Portrait by Chicago Artists, curated by Greg Knight, Chicago Cultural Center.
  • Jan: Fragments of the Soul (Solo), Prospectus Gallery, Chicago.
1991
  • Apr: Solo Exhibition, President's Gallery, Chicago State University.
  • Oct: Void of Divine Silence (Solo), Venzor Gallery, Chicago.
  • Group Exhibition, Jan Cicero Gallery, Chicago.
1989
  • State of Illinois Museum, Springfield, IL.
  • Cross Currents Gallery, Chicago.
  • State of Illinois Gallery: Contemporary Puerto Rican Artists (Traveling Exhibition).
  • Venzor Gallery, Collective Exhibition.
  • Illini Union Gallery, Versions of Reality (Solo), Champaign, IL.
1988
  • Latino Expressions, Illinois Bell, Chicago.
  • Crane Gallery (Solo), Chicago.
  • Illinois Bell Gallery, Collective Exhibition.
  • Bienal Iberoamericana (Juried), Bellas Artes, Mexico D.F.
1987
  • Montgomery Ward Gallery, Figurative Abstractions: Latin American Paintings, Chicago.
  • Prairie Avenue Gallery, Chicago.
  • Nicole Gallery, Chicago.
  • Artemisia Gallery, Chicago.
  • Fantastic Color Exhibition, Chicago.
  • Harris Bank Gallery, Chicago.
  • Campanile Gallery, Chicago.
  • College of Lake County Gallery, Grayslake, IL.
1986
  • Chicago International Art Exposition, Navy Pier, Chicago.
  • National Museum of Mexico, Mexico D.F.
  • Noyes Gallery, Evanston, IL.
  • Harris Bank Gallery, Chicago.

Curatorial Work

  • 2003 — Symbols, Myth and Metaphors, Columbia College, A+D 11th Street Gallery, Chicago. Artists: Javier Chavira, Alberto Gonzalez, Sergio Gomez, Jorge Felix, Alfredo Martinez Galvan, Montserrat Alsina, Eladio Gonzalez, Raul Ortiz, Michele Tuohey, Paul Sierra, Santiago Vaca.
  • 2002 — Mind Abstractions, Bank One, Chicago (Latin American Artists: Mario Castillo, Javier Chavira, Maria Enriquez de Allen, Jorge Felix, Alfredo Martinez, Eladio Gonzalez, Alberto Gonzalez, Raul Ortiz, Michele Tuohey, Paul Sierra).
  • 2001 — Contemporary Puerto Rican in Chicago, group exhibition.
  • 2000 — Images and Reflections, Cuban Art Exhibition, Chicago & Springfield (Ricardo Diaz, Michele Tuohey, Paul Sierra, Baruj Salinas, Eladio Gonzalez, Humberto Calzada, Rafael Soriano).
  • 1994 — Triton College Exhibition (Mario Castillo and Michele Tuohey), Chicago.
  • 1987 — Fantastic Color Exhibition (Arnaldo Roche-Rabel, Paul Sierra, Eladio Gonzalez, Nereida Feraz), Chicago.
  • 1986 — Harris Bank Hispanic Exhibition (Alejandro Romero, Paul Sierra, Eladio Gonzalez, Nerida Feraz), Chicago.
  • 1986 — Group 12 Exhibition, Fantastic Color (Paul Sierra, Eladio Gonzalez, Maria Martinez-Cana, Bibiana Suarez, Arnaldo Roche-Ravel, Marcos Raya, Alejandro Romero), Chicago.

Awards & Recognition

  • 2019 — Aspira 50 of 50 recognition as an outstanding aspirante.
  • 2018 — University of Illinois at Chicago award for leadership & contributions to the Urban Health Program.
  • 2017 — Raíces Award for artistic excellence, National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture.
  • 1997 — McCormick Place Purchase Award (Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority).
  • 1996 — Pepsi Cola Community Leadership Award.
  • 1995 — Department of Cultural Affairs Visual Arts Grant.
  • 1994 — National Trust for Historic Preservation Scholarship.
  • 1993 — Who’s Who in Hispanic America; Illinois Arts Council Visual Arts Grant.
  • 1992 — Department of Cultural Affairs Visual Arts Grant; Evanston Cultural Center Vicinity Award.
  • 1991 — Department of Cultural Affairs Visual Arts Grant; Chicago Jaycees Outstanding Citizen Award; Brightened Award (leadership & contributions to the City of Chicago).
  • 1990 — Who’s Who in America.
  • 1989 — Aspira Inc. of Illinois Leadership Award.
  • 1988 — Tribute to Oscar Martínez, Illinois Bell & Mayor Eugene Sawyer.
  • 1986 — Leadership Greater Chicago Fellowship Award.
  • 1978–1979 — Museum of Science & Industry Hispanic Art Exhibition — First Place.
  • 1973 — University of Illinois Mom’s Day Award for Academic Achievement.
  • 1972–1975 — University of Illinois Dean’s List & Scholarship.

Commissions

  • 2004 — University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign — mural commission.
  • 1996 — Nature’s Symphony, 75" × 100", McCormick Convention Complex Art Collection (Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority), Chicago.
  • 1997 — City of Chicago, Department of Health — painting.
  • 1980 — Nuestro Directorio — painting.
  • 1978–1979 — Puerto Rican Parade Committee — posters.
  • 1976 — Chicago Mural Group — mural; University of Illinois at Champaign — mural.
  • 1975 — City of Chicago, Department of Planning — painting.
  • 1974 — Festival Boricua — painting; Chicago Mural Group — mural.
  • 1973 — Chicago Mural Group — mural.
  • Book cover — Kenneth Henry, PhD, Social Problems — front & back cover painting.

Bibliography (Selected)

  • 2020 — Numerous articles on works exhibited at the Spurlock Museum and Illini Union installation (UIUC).
  • 2011 — Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival exhibition catalog/poster; 7th Annual National Self Portrait Exhibition (catalog/poster), Sergio Gomez (curator).
  • 2010 — Coverage in The News Dispatch (Lubeznik Center) and local IL press (The Daily Journal, The Herald’s Country Market) on KCC and related shows.
  • 2009 — Chicago Sun-Times video interview.
  • 2006 — Biographical book on Hispanic Americans (Brown Reference Group, UK).
  • 2005 — Egberto Almenas Ph.D., Desde los Escondrijos de Satán, ELF Creative Workshop, San Juan; coverage in Reflejos, Beacon News, Pioneer Press.
  • 2004 — Nichol Bryan, Puerto Rican Americans, Role Models.
  • 2003 — Clare Howard, Journal Star (Peoria); Home exhibition catalog, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.
  • 2002 — Mary Lackritz Gray, Guide to Chicago Murals (University of Chicago Press).
  • 2000 — Olivia Gude & Jeff Huebner, Urban Art Chicago (Ivan R. Dee); Mary L. Gray, Chicago Murals: An Historical Guide (University of Chicago Press).
  • 1999 — Arena Cultural/La Raza, Marcia E. Gawecki (front page).
  • 1998 — UIC News; UIC Neighbors; Reader, Jeff Huebner (front page features).
  • 1997 — El Día de las Américas; Eva Cockroft et al., Toward a People’s Art (Dutton); Diversity and Unity (Nelson Hall) — cover painting.
  • 1996 — Claridad (Egberto Almenas); New Art Examiner (Julee Pearson) — reviews.
  • 1995 — Art Nexus (Ilana Vardy); Encuentros (NIU); Context Art Journal (Edward Maldonado); Chicago DCA catalog essays; Shifra M. Goldman, Dimensions of the Americas.
  • 1994 — La Raza (Chicago Sun-Times supplement), Leticia Espinosa.
  • 1993 — Pioneer Press, Michael Bonesteel ("Magic Realism bewitches Lake County").
  • 1992 — Illinois Quarterly, "Painting Windows for the Mind"; Crain's Chicago Business, Editors' Choice; Columbia Chronicle; Chicago Artists’ News (cover).
  • 1991 — Chicago Sun-Times (Bob Herguth); At Chicago, Gwen Osborne; Línea (UIUC); Chicago State University Newspaper; Hector Perez Production video narrated by Ray Suarez.
  • 1989 — Chicago Tribune, David McCracken; Latin American Art Magazine (Mary Sherman); exhibition catalog essays (Ilana Vardy; Susana Tudela-Leval).
  • 1988 — Catalog, Latino Expressions Exhibition, Illinois Bell, Chicago.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, Medical Art & Communications, University of Illinois at the Medical Center, Chicago (Five-year curriculum). Training across maxillofacial prosthetics, graphic design, illustration, photography, 3D model design, exhibit formats, surgical illustration, audiovisual media, and business practices.
  • Pre-Medical Illustration studies, University of Illinois at Champaign (science & art: physiology, anatomy, zoology, embryology, life drawing, design, photography, sculpture, art history).
  • Leadership Greater Chicago — Fellow (1986–87).

Selected Associations

  •  
  • President & Founder, Latin American Museum of Art.
  • South Shore Cultural Center — Advisory Board.
  • Advisory Board member, Arts Education in Illinois (appointed by Governor Edgar).
  • 3rd District Economic Development Group.
  • President Emeritus & President (1989–92), The Latino Institute; Board Member (1979–95).
  • Chicago Harold Washington Library — Art Collection Selection Committee.
  • Illinois Arts Council — Appointed by Governor James Thompson; Chair of Media Arts; Legislative Committee.
  • Board Member, Sculpture Chicago; Chicago Artists Coalition Advisory Board.
  • Department of Cultural Affairs — Advisory Board, Executive Committee (appointed by the Mayor of Chicago).
  • Assessor, Iberoamericana Biennale of Bellas Artes, Mexico.
  • State of Illinois — Public Arts Advisory Committee.
  • Juror — International Design/Build Competition for the Chicago Public Library (Harold Washington Library).
  • Advisory Committee — Cuba/USA Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
  • President, Latino Chicago Theater (1988–90).
  • Illinois Arts Alliance Board (1986–90).
  • City of Chicago Sister Cities Committee — Executive Committee.
  • Committee of Honor — Visiones del Pueblo: The Folk Art of Latin America, Field Museum of Chicago (Ford Motor Company).
  • Board Member — United Way of Chicago, Allocations & Appeals Committees.
  • Percentage for the Arts Committee.
Download Full CV (PDF)

© Oscar Luis Martínez — Resume. For inquiries, please use the contact page.

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