E X H I B I T I O N S
Since 1998, S.M.A.R.T. projectspace has exhibited outstanding artwork in a professional setting. Curated by Mark Martinez and Allysha Farmer, monthly exhibitions include emerging artists, students and professional artists.
Political Art Month:
A Tribute to Gene Elder
Opening reception
July 11, 7 - 10 pm
This month the SMART project space platforms political art, featuring 17 San Antonio based artists. The exhibition is intended to honor the late activist, writer and artist, Gene Elder (1949-2019) who developed Political Art Month, aka “PAM.” Intended to be an annual program, PAM highlights an artist’s political concerns of the current day. This year’s Political Art Month addresses an array of contemporary concerns including but not limited to; encroaching artificial intelligence, the need to embrace diversity, creating a space for queer liberation and contending with rising fascism in the US.
This year’s PAM is curated by Allysha Farmer and Mark Anthony Martinez and features new works by: Andy Benavides, Priscilla Bermejo, Shelby Criswell, Joe De La Cruz, Manuela Gonzalez, Jesse Guevara, Tahia Farhin Haque, Linda Monsivais Hernandez, Deborah A. Moore Harris, Andrea L. Jacobson, Alethia Jones, Mark Anthony Martinez, Micheal Martinez Oliver Lyric, Adrienne Morrow, Kate Wood, Stevan Zivadinovic.
Event Details:
Open Hours hosted 6-9pm July 18, 2026
Closing Reception 6-9pm July 25, 2026
Otherwise open by appointment
Mark Martinez, S.M.A.R.T. curator
Mark Anthony Martinez is a conceptual artist and independent curator based here in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Martinez holds a BFA in Intermedia Arts from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (2012) and an MFA in Studio Art from Portland State University (2014). He currently adjuncts at Our Lady of the Lake University, for the Visual arts & New media program (2025 – Present).
His studio practice, has had him exhibit in numerous group shows locally and nationally, including; The Contemporary at Blue Star, San Antonio, TX (2024), Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX (2020), The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center Inc., New York, NY (2019), Mexic-Arte in Austin, TX. (2017) and, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago, Il. (2014).
Martinez has served as Visual Arts Director to the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (2015-2017), Gallery Manager for the Michael and Noemi Neidorff Art Gallery at Trinity University (2018), co-curator for pop-up space, Fake Gallery (2019), co-director of JANUARY (2023) and currently co-curator to both INTERLOPER GALLERY and the S.M.A.R.T. Project Space; respective arts incubators within the “1906 Studio.” Martinez is expected to present a solo show at the Cactus Barn this Fall, 2026.
@markanthonymartinezstudio
@markanthony-mfa.bsky.social
markanthonymartinez.art
Allysha Farmer, S.M.A.R.T. curator
Born and raised in San Antonio, Allysha Farmer is a multidisciplinary studio based artist and curator who holds a BFA in ceramics from UTSA (2015). She’s had two solo shows featured in San Antonio’s Blue Star Art Complex; “Abnormal Mass” (2020) in Un Grito and “Guilty Forms” (2024) in Carbon Bloom respectively. In 2023, she co-founded the short run project space, JANUARY; located along San Antonio’s prominent Second Saturday artwalk, where she practiced, curated and exhibited her third solo exhibition “Goodbye Adelina”. Currently, Farmer’s partnered with the S.M.A.R.T. program at the 1906 Studio, through another project space she co-founded; known as INTERLOPER Gallery.
@allyshafarmer
allyshafarmer.carrd.co