DESARMADO
Arjan Martins
DESARMADO
ART ARMS HUMANITY BY DISARMING HUMANITY. LOVE EQUIPS BEST.
Poignant, in the crosshairs, Arjan Martins addresses one of the most controversial subjects of our time stemming back to settler colonialism. Gun violence is being felt around the world as an affront to our public safety, public health, and human rights. Through his work, Arjan creates a dialogue between those who possess and misuse guns, and those forever impacted by their violence. The artist highlights the correlation between gun violence and biased attacks and how they impact his community in Rio de Janeiro and worldwide. In a seemingly divided world, Arjan’s art urges to disarm humanity through love.
by Marcus Vinicius Ribeiro
The installation “Desarmado” was done for the 2020 edition of the Independent Art Fair in New York. With this work, which occupied the display window of the ground floor of the Rema Hort Mann building in Tribeca, Arjan Martins seeks to raise public awareness about the negative impact of new, less restrictive gun control laws being discussed in Brazil.
4H5H MEDIA supports evidence-based solutions to reduce injuries and fatalities, in all their forms, caused by firearms.
Artist: Arjan Martins
Executive Producer & Forward by Marcus Vinicius Ribeiro
Producer: Zachary Kuipers Associate Producer: Tiago Ciarallo
Art Director: Claudio Braz
Art Gallery: A Gentil Carioca Sponsored by: Susan & Michael Hort
ARJAN MARTINS - Artist
About the Artist:
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1960, Arjan Martins is a Brazilian artist whose work resonates with the echoes of history and the African diaspora. His artistic journey unfolds across various mediums, inviting viewers to explore narratives often overlooked.
As a painter, Martin's canvases and drawings serve as visual archives, retelling the history of colonization and slavery from the oppressed perspective. His art incorporates signs and codes excluded from conventional narratives, highlighting the aches of colonization and slavery oppression. These themes remain relevant in today’s social conflicts.
Martin's work defies domestication, exuding a violent exuberance of form that refuses to be mere illustration. Through his paintings, he unearths hidden stories, inviting us to contemplate time, identity, and resilience.