Martin often uses pop cultural references in his paintings, paying homage to his many influences from the fields of literature, film, and music. By making the sources of his inspiration the subject of his work, Martin shares the ‘behind the scenes’ processes of his practice, giving insight to an approach to abstraction which is informed as much by art history as contemporary media. In Memory of James Brown “Godfather of Soul” is a painting which took 2 years to complete; though Martin’s work often appears playfully spontaneous, this aesthetic is developed through prolonged reconsideration and reworking of the canvas, with some pieces taking
as much as 20 years to finish. The black and white pattern, painted over a collage, resembles both vinyl LPs and an 60s op art – a movement whose revolutionary funkadelic stylings are a worthy tribute to Brown’s legacy.