Darrin Martin

Darrin Martin serves as Professor of Art and Co-Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at the University of California, Davis within the College of Letters and Science. Appointed in 2005 with formal education including an M.F.A. from UC San Diego (2000) and B.F.A. from Alfred University (1992), he maintains an active studio practice alongside academic responsibilities.

His research centers on synesthetic perception through video, sculpture, and print-based installations, specifically exploring accessibility through tactility, sonic analogies, and audio descriptions informed by personal experiences with hearing loss. Key research trajectories include disability representation in contemporary art, audio description as generative artistic practice, and speculative educational frameworks examining post-apocalyptic scenarios.

Analysis of Martin's recent publications reveals consistent engagement with disability aesthetics and sensory translation, particularly through sound-based works exploring breath and resonance. His 2023-2024 output demonstrates significant institutional recognition including SFMOMA's acquisition of 'Crash Satellite' and MIT List Visual Arts Center commissioning 'Steel Tongue Accordion Ears.'

Scientific Recognition:

• SFMOMA Permanent Collection Acquisition (2024)
• Honorable Mention, Chicago Underground Film Festival (2013)
• Recology San Francisco Artist Residency (2023)
• Electronic Arts Intermix Collaboration (2023)

Martin actively mentors emerging artists including alum Torreya Cummings (2022 Recology residency recipient) and maintains significant collaborative relationships, notably with Torsten Zenas Burns on projects like 'ARK3: The Workshop Scenarios.' His curatorial work with Electronic Arts Intermix examines disability representation in media archives, while his Ann Arbor Film Festival programming explores accessibility frameworks.

Through residencies at Cité Internationale des Arts, Eyebeam, and Experimental Television Center, Martin develops installations that have exhibited internationally at venues including The Kitchen (NY), University of Toronto, and Grand Central Art Center. His current research investigates breath politics through projects like 'Resistance & Respiration' at Contemporary Calgary.