Press Release

NEW ORLEANS---Heriard-Cimino Gallery presents New Sculpture by Martin Payton. A reception to meet the artist will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2004 from 6 to 9 p.m., in conjunction with Art for Arts’ Sake, an annual celebration of the arts in the Warehouse District. The public is invited. The exhibition will be on view from October 2 through November 2, 2004. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10:30 to 5:30, and Saturday 10 to 5, or by appointment.

Martin Payton continues his exploration of the possibilities of abstracted shape and space as cultural “signatures.” He chooses to assemble his sculpture from found steel elements whose shapes and time worn surfaces combine to suggest transformation, survival, and spiritual resilience. The elegant lyricism of his sculpture belies its blunt execution, referring to West African mythology and particularly the artistry of African-American musicians, whose work has been significantly influential for Payton. The sculptures, often named for musicians or references from discographies, are not intended as portraitures, but seek to articulate their content and individual essence. This new body of work contains a sense of assurance and maturity born of conviction, achieved through a 25-year journey of introspection and production.

A retrospective sponsored by the Amistad Research Center, Martin Payton: Twenty Years of Sculpture, was celebrated in 2001. Nationally, a significant number of his sculptures have been placed at the Rosekrans Runnymede sculpture garden in Woodside, CA.

A New Orleans native, Payton received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Xavier University and his Master of Fine Arts from Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles. He currently teaches art at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Payton’s work has been exhibited throughout the country. His sculpture can be found throughout the city including the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Contemporary Arts Center.