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Overview
"Created entirely out of molten glass at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, each artwork is hand-sculpted with steel, paper, and wooden tools."
Dylan Martinez earned his MFA in Glass at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. He has studied with master craftsman across the U.S. and abroad. His artwork is regularly exhibited throughout the US and internationally. Dylan’s artwork is held in several international public and private collections, most notably, the Imagine Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Martinez has been featured in several publications such as Colossal, Elle Decoration, American Craft Magazine, Interior Design Magazine. Dylan designs and creates all his work by hand in his studio in Bingen, Washington.
Dylan’s artwork often examines the boundaries of human perception. His work challenges the viewer’s expectations through the manipulation of light, space, and the optical properties of glass. While steeped in the traditional techniques in glass making, he constantly strives to discover novel approaches to exploit the material. His hyper-realistic water bag sculptures often trick viewers into believing the glass objects are in fact water filled plastic bags. With his latest series, Dylan introduces color into his work for the first time in a few years with his solid sculpted Pac-Man inspired ghosts that lure the viewer in with their simplistic design and ethereal luminosity.
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New In Glass Sculptures By Dylan Martinez for Sale
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Series
Dylan Martinez
Cobalt Blue Water Balloon, 2024Glass sculptures - hot sculpted, sandblasted, acid etchedSample photo sizes vary:
L: 4-5 in
W: 2.25 - 3.5 in
H: 2-3.75 inUnique VariationsSeries: Water BalloonsCopyright The ArtistDylan Martinez's sculptures, particularly his renowned water bags, stand as captivating explorations of perception, materiality, and the boundaries of artistic representation. Within this diverse body of work, Martinez's water bags...Dylan Martinez's sculptures, particularly his renowned water bags, stand as captivating explorations of perception, materiality, and the boundaries of artistic representation. Within this diverse body of work, Martinez's water bags emerge as quintessential examples of his mastery in manipulating glass to convey the illusion of fluidity and weightlessness.
In his series of hyper-realistic glass water bags, Martinez showcases his technical prowess by meticulously crafting molten glass into convincing replicas of transparent plastic bags filled with water. Each sculpture captures the delicate contours and shimmering surface of water with astonishing precision, inviting viewers to marvel at the seemingly impossible transformation of solid glass into the appearance of liquid.
What distinguishes Martinez's water bags is not only their remarkable realism but also the conceptual depth they evoke. By presenting these mundane objects in an unexpected medium, Martinez prompts viewers to question the nature of reality and the reliability of their own perceptions. The transparent quality of the glass further complicates this inquiry, as viewers are compelled to contemplate the interplay between transparency and opacity, presence and absence.
In a playful twist on his water bag theme, Martinez introduces a variation featuring a goldfish cracker suspended within the glass. This unexpected inclusion adds a whimsical and surreal element to the sculpture, imbuing it with a sense of humor and inviting viewers to reconsider the relationship between object and context. The juxtaposition of the delicate, ephemeral quality of the goldfish cracker with the permanence and solidity of the glass creates a striking visual contrast, further enhancing the surreal quality of the artwork.
Through his water bag sculptures, including the version with a goldfish cracker inside, Martinez invites viewers to engage with themes of transience, transformation, and the fluidity of perception. These captivating artworks serve as powerful reminders of the artist's ability to push the boundaries of traditional artistic mediums and challenge viewers to see the world in new and unexpected ways.ExhibitionsNews-
Now On View
September 2024 September 3, 2024Keith Haring’s Pop Shop 6 Quad showcases the artist's iconic style and vibrant use of color. This silkscreen print, composed of four panels, captures Haring's...Read more -
Dylan Martinez: Water Balloons
Triggering Childhoods Nostalgia March 11, 2024Guy Hepner is pleased to unveil Dylan Martinez's latest series Water Balloons. Beyond their technical and conceptual merits, Martinez's sculptures have a unique ability to...Read more -
2024 Artist Market Predictions
A Look Ahead January 16, 20242024 Artist Market Predictions As the year kicks off, we have put together our artist market predictions for 2024, offering insights into evolving trends and...Read more -
An Interview with Dylan Martinez
November 27, 2023You originally went to school for field science and outdoor education. What led you to make the switch to full-time artist? I went to school...Read more -
Dylan Martinez
The Process February 7, 2022Dylan Martinez's H2O/SiO2 was first inspired to become a fish inside a plastic bag of water like you would get at a pet store or...Read more