What: Patrick Martinez: Histories, Volume 2, a solo exhibition by the Los Angeles-based artist
When: October 13, 2025 – January 24, 2026; Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. The public opening reception is Wednesday, October 22, from 4-7 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Where: The University Art Gallery at California State University, Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747. Visit csudh.edu/visit-us for directions and a printable campus map.
The University Art Gallery at California State University, Dominguez Hills and the PRAXIS art engagement program are proud to present Patrick Martinez: Histories, Volume 2, a solo exhibition by the Los Angeles-based artist. The exhibition will be on view from October 13, 2025 through January 24, 2026. The public is invited to a reception on Wednesday, October 22, from 4-7 p.m. 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.
About the Artist
Patrick Martinez (b. 1980, Pasadena, CA) earned his BFA with honors from ArtCenter College of Design in 2005. His work has been exhibited at institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, MOCA Los Angeles, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and Dallas Contemporary. His work is held in the permanent collections of The Broad, LACMA, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the Rubell Museum, among others. Martinez lives and works in Los Angeles.
About the University Art Gallery
The CSUDH University Art Gallery serves the campus and broader community as a laboratory for contemporary art and design practices, presenting exhibitions and programming that support creative inquiry and critical dialogue. The Gallery is committed to building a culture of innovation that celebrates artists and engages audiences. For more information, visit gallery.csudh.edu.
About PRAXIS
PRAXIS is California State University, Dominguez Hills’ art engagement program. PRAXIS brings artists, students, and community members together to explore the history, social conditions, neighborhoods, and storylines of South Los Angeles. The program includes artist-in-residence projects, exhibitions, and public and community programming.
