Luis Martínez Valencia

The artistic philosophy which Alfredo Ramos Martínez spread in his programs for the Open Air Schools of Painting allowed for the emergence of several child and young Mexican painters; some of them stood out, reaching a definite style and personality in their works. Such is the case of Luis Martínez who at the age of 20 began his formation in the school in Churubusco, around 1925. He was born in the province of Queretaro and had previously been a carpenter, being a son of a baker and a housewife. The schools became a decisive part of the impelling mechanism of the cultural policies of the post-revolutionary regimes and sought, in large part, the social improvement of peasants and workers as a part of the coveted promises of the Mexican Revolution. In spite of official efforts and the obvious talent that some of the youngsters showed, such as Luis Martínez, when they got older they abandoned their artistic career and the annals of the history of Mexican art.