Mario Martinez

About

Mario Martinez, known as Mars-1, is a contemporary artist renowned for his surreal, psychedelic paintings, sculptures, and murals that blend geometric and organic forms into quasi-extraterrestrial landscapes. Born and raised in Fresno, California, he emerged from the skateboard and graffiti cultures of the West Coast, drawing early influences from European comics like Moebius and anime. After high school, he moved to San Francisco, where he became a key figure in the local art scene, founding the Furtherrr Collective and collaborating with artists such as Alex Grey and Ralph Steadman. His work explores themes of theoretical physics, ufology, metamorphosis, collective consciousness, and the interplay between biology, architecture, and mysticism, often rendered with precise, three-dimensional techniques using acrylics and traditional media.

Contemporary Surrealism with psychedelic, visionary elements featuring abstracted geometric and organic shapes in three-dimensional, quasi-extraterrestrial landscapes