On Making Space For Emerging Artists: Martha's Contemporary
Between now and our next market, we’re touching base with a few of our former vendors. Today, catch up with our friends at Martha’s Contemporary, an art gallery in Austin.
ABOUT MARTHA’S CONTEMPORARY
Martha’s Contemporary was founded in 2018 as a space to showcase, celebrate, and congregate young artists. Since our inception, Martha’s has carved out a name for herself as an accessible space where everybody is invited to learn and appreciate art. Our program centers around relationships we have built within the Austin and South Texas community as well as long distance relationships with Mexico City, LA, Chicago, and NY based emerging artists.
In 2020 we moved to our permanent home in Hyde Park Austin where we have since created more space to support artists by establishing Martha’s Garden, an experimental smaller gallery show room, and La Tiendita, an onsite store for prints and merchandise. Our programming includes supplementing exhibitions with unique literary analysis of the artwork on view so that we might better share their story and ensure a dialogue between viewer and maker. Additional programming includes pop up events such as Tamale Saturday, Picnic Movie Nights, and Voter Drive initiatives. We’re young and working hard to uplift our community.
1. What’s your day-to-day mantra?
“Gotta make these sales”
2. Martha's Contemporary in 3 emojis?
😍👀😍
3. The thing you most wish for the world is…
Peace, love, and tranquility
4. No. 1 muse?
Miss Meredith (Martha’s cofounder)
5. Most memorable event in your space so far?
This is a hard one because we have enjoyed all of our exhibitions and loved working with all of the artists. We had a really cool voters’ rights event that our friends Mueni and Sabrina hosted and Geto Gala performed in our backyard. And my mom made tamales.
6. You want the future of Texas to look like...
More choices, more voices, less conservative noises.
7. How would you describe your creative and production process?
Pacing
8. What emerging artists should we have on our radars?
Jenaro Goode, Moll Brau, Payton McGowen, Calhan Hale, Siena Smith, Daniel Wang, Adrian Armstrong, Erick Medel, Emma Cook.
9. Proudest personal or career milestone?
Everyday owning a gallery. Everyday working with artists.
10. Something new you’re trying?
Patience
11. Something you treasure?
Naps
12. Best advice you’ve been given?
Expect nothing, accept everything.
13. What are you most excited about in life right now?
Succession Season 3
14. How do you want people to feel when entering your spaces?
Safe, excited, welcome and leave planning on visiting again.
15. What's coming up next for Martha's Contemporary?
Exotify Elsewhere on Saturday, September 4! It’ll be an amazing, curated show by Taylor Davis and Grace Sanabria featuring all female artists of color.
WANT TO STAY INVOLVED WITH FUTURE FRONT TEXAS?
Attend The Front Market, and keep up with what we’re up to—from virtual events to membership—here.