José Carlos Martinat: Esencia:materica

Curator: Natalia De La Rosa
Artist: José Carlos Martinat

N.A.S.A.L. presents “Esencia:materica”, a solo exhibition by Peruvian artist José Carlos Martinat, highlighting his innovative exploration of organic materials and the concept of healing.

Martinat’s work investigates the profound relationship between natural elements and their transformative effects on both physical and spiritual realms, approached through a distinctive creative process. Using coloured powders traditionally employed by healers, he creates delicate, suspended fabrics intentionally designed with gaps that allow light and air to pass through. These voids evoke a sense of purification, emphasising the cleansing power of the natural world.

The textiles are infused with natural powders known for their healing properties and layered with white crystals to enhance their energy. The colour arrangements are inspired by the genetic sequence of the COVID-19 virus—four colours representing the virus’s four genetic letters, arranged in 33,000 sequences. This infusion of life imbues the work with a dynamic, living quality, as the materials absorb the energy resonating from the global changes brought about by the pandemic. Through this series, Martinat reflects on the deeper cultural and spiritual dimensions of loss and decay, inviting viewers to engage with a space that contemplates life, transformation, and renewal.