Javier Marin’s Work is All About the Creative Process
One of Mexico’s leading artists, Javier Marin, has developed his career over three decades of mastery of visual art. He is most prolific in sculpture, but his portfolio includes breathtaking paintings and drawings as well as other mediums. Most recently, he collaborated with luxury rug manufacturer to create a stunning textile collection of two rugs and five tapestries.
History of Javier Marin
Javier Marin was born in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico in 1962. He was educated at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City. He has been incredibly prolific over the three decades of his career, being featured in over 90 solo exhibitions and over 200 collective shows. His work has been shown all over the world, including his home country of Mexico, Latin America, the United States, Europe, and Asia. He is also highly awarded, holding the top prize at the Third International Beijing Biennial, among others.
Artist Javier Marin.
Javier Marin’s Style and Creative Process
Javier Marin’s work typically depicts the human form. Originally, his work developed by sketching the human form directly. His work evolved into painting and eventually sculpture. His signature is highlighting the process and material in his finished works, rather than covering them up. He will often leave parts of the sculptures’ support structures exposed, or holes gauged in the material.
Sculptures by Javier Marin.
Marin’s works are often compared to those Renaissance sculptures of Michaelangelo and Rodin. His massive bronze nudes that highlight the human figure are combined with his own modern twist of the exposure of process. These “imperfections” are said to represent the inner struggles, endeavors, and sorrow of man.
Rug & Tapestry Work
One of Javier Marin’s most recent endeavors moves away from his typical medium of sculpture. Displayed in Mexico City in February 2020, Marin debuted a collection of masterfully woven rugs and tapestries. These pieces depicted his typical sculpture work. The meandering lines and shapes represent the deconstruction and reconstruction of the molds Marin uses to create his sculptures. He literally embodies his creative process in an entirely new, creative art piece.
Javier Marin’s textiles.
Marin’s tapestries are handmade and woven in the traditional Gobelin technique. He photographs pieces of the molds he uses to make sculptures, and then recreates that photograph by weaving custom dyed New Zealand wool. The challenge was including every single little detail, an important part of the art to Marin.
Tapestry by Javier Marin.
Aside from the five tapestries, the collection also includes two rugs. These round rugs were referred to as “battle rugs,” depicting the concept of a battle one may have with themself inside their head. These rugs were both woven using a traditional Tibetan weaving technique. The rugs, like the tapestries, used New Zealand wool. Beautiful pieces for either the floor or the wall, Marin describes his technique as a free composition. He randomly cut characters into black paper and threw them onto a white surface, then weaving that resulting image.
Javier Marin’s battle rug.
Marin stresses that, like all his work, these weavings were as much about the creative process as the final product. His work is known for building a story from nothing.
Javier Marin still lives and works in Mexico, and his creations can be seen all over the world.
This art blog about artist Javier Marin was published by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs.
