Infusing the familiar with inferences to culture, history and place, Adolfo Martinez creates stunning works. Martinez was born and raised in Kansas City, yet his Mexican heritage and multicultural perspective arise in narrative paintings that reveal his depth, drive and continuing journey as an artist. Martinez began his sofa paintings series in 1999, in reaction to seeing a starving artist “sofa sized paintings” sale advertised on television. He reinvented his innocuous painting genre through whimsical, thoughtful works imbued with cultural signifiers and motifs. His inspirations include Native American imagery (which he studied extensively at Pan American University in Texas), Mexican murals, symbolism and surrealism. Frequent showings at Mattie Rhodes Center, The Late Show, other local venues, and his first public billboard project, “¡Bienvenidos al Westside!” (2007), have broadened public recognition of his work.