Denis Martinez

Early Life and Education

Denis Martinez was born on 30 November 1941 in Marsat El Hadjadj (Oran). As a child, he sketched the landscapes and scenes of the Oran countryside. Between 1957 and 1962, he lived in Blida, where his father, formerly a house painter, had become a postman.

He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Algiers and later continued his studies in Paris. In 1963, he became a professor at the Algiers School of Fine Arts. His teaching influenced several generations of artists.

Early Exhibitions

Martinez participated in the “Algerian Painters” exhibition in Algiers in 1963 for the “1 November Celebrations,” with a preface by Jean Sénac. In 1964, his work was shown at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He later joined most major collective exhibitions of Algerian painting in Algeria and abroad. His first solo exhibition took place in Algiers in 1964, also prefaced by Jean Sénac.

Aouchem Group

Martinez co-founded the Aouchem (Tattoo) group with Choukri Mesli. The group exhibited in 1967, 1968, and 1971. Around ten artists and poets formed the collective. They opposed the official gallery of the National Union of Plastic Arts, which excluded most active painters.

The group’s manifesto stated:

“Aouchem was born millennia ago on the walls of a Tassili cave. It continued to exist through the ages, sometimes secretly, sometimes openly, depending on the tides of History. (…) We aim to show that, still magical, the sign is stronger than bombs.”

Despite cycles of violence, certain artistic traditions endured. Gestures that shape clay, weave wool, paint walls, and carve wood or metal became the foundation of Aouchem’s approach.

Career Highlights

In 1975, Martinez received the Grand Painting Prize of the City of Algiers. He contributed to two collective mural projects in 1973 and 1976: one for the village of Maamora (Saïda) and another for the workers of the Port of Algiers.

A retrospective of his work was held at the Algiers Museum in 1985. In 1986, he created a monumental ceramic fountain in Blida. From 1986 to 1992, he organized artistic interventions with students in Blida, at the In Amenas oil base, and in Kabylia.

Later Life and International Work

Following the assassination of Tahar Djaout and other Algerian intellectuals, Martinez left Algeria in 1994. From 1995 to 2006, he taught at the École Supérieure d’Art in Aix-en-Provence.

In 1998, he took part in Peintres du Signe (Fête de l’Humanité, La Courneuve; travelling exhibition). In 2000 and 2001, he designed and staged a procession of seven Aghanjas for Peace in Forcalquier and Loriol. In 2002, he created a multi-location performance, Window of the Wind, spanning seven sites including Timimoun, Algiers, Aix-en-Provence, and Paris.

In 2003, he participated in The Twentieth Century in Algerian Art (Château Borély, Marseille; Orangerie du Sénat, Paris). He also exhibited in Pau Disorientalism at the Museum of Fine Arts and in Marseille with Drawings on Sand and Walls at the School of Arts and Communication.