




A Little Liberty
2012
"A Little Liberty" presents a ceramic figure glazed in lustrous 18-karat gold, rendering a miniature Statue of Liberty in a material language that simultaneously elevates and interrogates its subject. Martinez, long recognized for his unflinching engagement with American identity, power, and the contradictions embedded in national mythology, deploys the gilded surface to extraordinary effect here. The choice of gold neither celebrates nor condemns the iconic form outright but suspends it in a state of deliberate ambiguity, inviting viewers to reckon with what liberty has meant, and for whom, across the contested terrain of American civic life. Produced in collaboration with the renowned Ceramica Suro in Guadalajara and published by Roberts & Tilton in Los Angeles, this work is number 46 from a carefully managed edition of 100. The cross-border production itself carries conceptual weight, as an object embodying American symbolism was fabricated through skilled Mexican craftsmanship, a quiet but pointed commentary on the labor and geography that underpin national iconography. The piece measures 38.1 by 17.8 by 10.2 centimeters, a scale that transforms a monumental public symbol into something intimate and handled, shifting the register from civic declaration to private contemplation. This example is accompanied by its original packaging and the original certificate issued by Roberts & Tilton, preserving full provenance documentation for the discerning collector. Martinez occupies a singular position within critical political art practice, and works of this clarity and finish, combining conceptual rigor with exceptional craft production, are rarely encountered. The work ships from Los Angeles, and condition reports are available upon request.
- Medium
- 18-karat gold glazed ceramic
- Overall
- Signed
- Yes
- Spotted At
- Gallery · Rago/Wright/LAMA/Toomey & Co.
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