Alumni to Watch

Christopher Martinez (BA, studio art, '02; BFA, painting, '02) left his native New Mexico in fall 1992 to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering at Arizona State University.

Christopher Martinez

Captivated by science as a young boy, Martinez had set his sights on engineering, but having been raised in a highly creative Chicano culture, his experiences as an engineering student did not feel natural to the way he learned to think about the world - he missed the ritual- and performance-based activities that strengthened and defined his community back home.

Martinez noticed that he was spending a great amount of time working on art projects outside of his studies and eventually realized that studying the arts was logical for him. Art was a path that he fundamentally understood and had been most passionate about since childhood. He had discovered the courage to pursue his true interests though at first, it was difficult to change directions.

Leaving his engineering pursuits, Martinez felt like he was abandoning the practicality of a career in the sciences. Although his parents were supportive, they were concerned about his ability to make a living as an artist - he had never studied art before. Despite his late start as an arts practitioner, Martinez felt fortunate to learn from the practicing-artist faculty in the ASU Herberger College School of Art. They were sensitive to his level of technical skill, and worked with Martinez to provide the skills and knowledge that he would need to mature as an artist.

Martinez was, and is, fascinated by art's ability to critique society and politics, to strengthen community, encourage imagination and inspire idealisms such as peace. These qualities inspired him to adapt and become resourceful.

"The arts capture people's imagination. They provide metaphor and context to innovations," Martinez says. "Space flight is an example of such an innovation. Like art, one of the strongest values of space exploration is based on its ability to bring people together. Everyday I work in the arts to make contributions to the world and to culture."

As an arts practitioner, Martinez experiences more opportunities than he dreamed of during his formative years as an undergraduate. Now, as a practicing visual artist, director and music composer, Martinez exhibits his work at community venues, museums and festivals; both nationally and internationally, including the Sundance Film Festival, Festival de Cannes, Banff New Media Institute and Bonnie Bird Theatre at Laban Centre in London.

"During my time at the ASU Herberger College, I believe that I had a place as a contributor to society and to humanity, but I could not have predicted the success that would follow my graduation," Martinez says. "I feel that I could not have realized my passion if it were not for the help and support that I received from countless mentors and professors who shared their knowledge with me. I thank all the faculty and staff who listened to me, encouraged me and believed in me. They have made a difference in my quality of life, and have helped me set the stage for a new adventure in the arts."

Christopher Martinez

Martinez is writing the musical score for the Chicano opera,
Imperial Silence, directed by John Leanos and scheduled to debut in fall 2008.

Martinez is melding his passion for arts and engineering. He is currently working on a PhD in Media, Arts and Sciences, in the Arts, Media and Engineering Program (AME), a collaboration between the ASU Herberger College of the Arts and the Fulton School of Engineering. His work focuses on mixed-reality environments that encourage the emergence of interpersonal relationships, community development and sustainable cross-cultural partnerships through negotiated spaces.

"I am interested in building computational and embodied interactive scenarios that provide a variety of community services identified by community needs, which require a multi-disciplinary approach to creativity," Martinez says. "I am excited to engineer systems within the framework of artistic expression that bridge my love of the arts and sciences into new holistic forms."