Taking to the streets of urban civilisation, Adrian Martinez harnesses the artificial brilliance that powers bustling cities through his cyberpunk photography. Inspired by video games and anime, his shots take on a quixotic nature rooted in a utopian context. Martinez often employs intermingling of human subjects and a metropolitan environment in a way that closes the gap between the present and an impending hyper-futuristic reality. Martinez’ photography revolves around urban landscapes and stunning portraits. Intensely modernistic worlds are captured with adept eyes and expertly edited to accentuate their quintessence. With Los Angeles and Tokyo as prime settings, Martinez taps into a visual finesse marked by insightful angles. The architecture is core to his photography style of neon noire and sleek silhouettes. The grandiose of skyscrapers and expanding streets are elements of a city Martinez elicits through his photographs. Though the images are taken of cities in their current state, Martinez produces foretastes of the future existing within the same city.
The images transport through time to create a visually permeating experience that makes imagining the future all the more tangible, as if just out of reach. The dialogue that wades in Martinez’ photos of humans in a hi-tech world is impeccable. Clearly, what is captured is concrete in our world today but it is through his photography do we see a reflection of something more. Commonplace aspects of the city and normal people going about their day are transcended with smoothness when shot by Martinez. There is a certain nonchalant airiness to the men and women photographed, appearing as humming as the city in which they inhabit. It is the person’s insouciance that translates well because they appear totally in sync with the augmented environment seen in the final product.
The way in which Martinez captures them creates a story from another dimension entirely. He has a curious method to making it look like they’re citizens of the future, and he is simply snapping candid photos of their day-to-day humdrum. It is interesting to notice the minute details in each photograph and the pronounced poses the humans subject to. There is an aura of advancement on all fronts: culturally, technologically, fashionably, and architecturally. Martinez takes on busy urban atmospheres and photographs their spirit in a futuristic perspective. His skilled eye for portraits are deserving of recognition, with a concentration on personal detail and style. Adrian Martinez makes bold statements through his stunning photography.
