17.3.-17.4.11
When I first saw Martinussen's paintings, at the exhibition "Ellipse" at Sølvberget Galleri in Stavanger about a year ago, I liked it a lot. His style has changed a bit since then, but the paintings are just as enjoyable. Martiniussen has used a unique technique of using airbrush and plaster.
Atlas IX
It was light dots on a background of various colors, now the dots are gone. While the foreground used to be what added the figurative touch to the paintings, now it is the background. And the wide range of colors are toned down.
Atlas V
In the background I see landscapes seen from above, like Mongolian mountains seen from an intercontinental flight. But it could also be folded paper or wrinkled textile. The colors are harmonious in light and shade of the same color. On top of this, like floating above it, are patches of plaster in toned color, creating a metallic impression. This creates an incredible illusion of depth, my mind tells me that the paintings are 2D, but my eyes insist that they see a 3D image.
Atlas III
Watching the paintings is like a journey into an unknown world of texture and shapes. The title of the paintings "Atlas", could be a reference to maps, as these painting appear like topographical maps. But it could also be the Atlas mountains seen from far above, or maybe even a map of the Atlas mountains in an atlas.
Exhibition webpage here
