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 Martin Soto, of Chicago, IL, has been creating art for more than twenty years.
As a young teen he studied at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston and completed his undergraduate studies at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) where he honed his skills in painting, sculpture and drawing; later studying with Juan Sanchez in the Pre-Graduate painting program Hunter College, NY.
Especially intrigued by history he sought first to discover his own personal background which lead him to the study of African art and culture. This knowledge enabled him to understand the impact of an African aesthetic in his work as well as its influence in western art and Puerto Rican Art in particular.
At the onset of Martin's New York experience he was granted a residency at the Longwood Studios by the Bronx Council and a solo show at their reputable Longwood Gallery.
Later, El Barrio (Spanish Harlem) was the home away from home for Martin where he worked and exhibited in the original space of Taller Boricua. He maintained a studio and exhibited in the Meat District with the "14th Street Painters" and in SOHO NYC at the Greenwich studios.
Soto returned to Chicago in 2000. He has been working in the heart of Chicago (Bridgeport,
Zhou B. Center) where he boldly experiments in new techniques whilst continuing to use elements of an African aesthetic, Old European techniques, as well as the elements from his Puerto Rican background that are vital and pertinent to him and his work.
Martin has been represented by Vorpal Gallery in NYC & San Francisco, Tina Roja Galeria, Stephen Kelly Gallery and currently the Aldo Castillo Gallery in Chicago.
Martin's website: www.martinsoto.com,
email: ms.studio@martinsoto.com
and his blog: http://boricuaurbanart.blogspot.com
Zhou B. Center: www.zbcenter.org
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