Available work
Eighteen unique pieces, photographed in the studio: a detail and the full piece. Tap the thumbnails to see each view, or the photo to enlarge it.
Armando Martínez
Armando Emilio Martínez Vázquez was born in 1955 in A Ermida, Covelo (Pontevedra), at the foot of the Paradanta hills. The son of a master stonemason, he grew up close to stone, yet his first carving was in wood: at 23 he moved to Coimbra, where, encouraged by Portuguese artists, he began to sculpt.
Barcelona, Paris and Italy followed (three years in Reggio Emilia, where his first awards came), then a period in Edinburgh. Back in Galicia he opened a studio in Vigo and devoted himself to stone.
His work always revolves around the human figure: motherhood, the embrace, the nude. Stylised bodies with clean lines and featureless faces, sometimes stacked into almost totemic columns. He works in granite, limestone, black slate, calcite crystal and wood.
He is the Galician sculptor with the most work in public spaces in Portugal, and the author of the monument to Rosalía de Castro in Vigo.
Solo exhibitions
- 1986Palazzo Villa d'Este, Reggio Emilia
- 1990Laxeiro Gallery, Vigo
- 1996Instituto Cervantes, Lisbon
- 2004Museu da República, Lisbon
- 2005Casa de Galicia, Madrid · Ourense Municipal Museum
- 2011Ink Gallery, Edinburgh
Recognition
- 1986First Prize for Sculpture “Tricolaria”, Reggio Emilia
- 1986International sculpture awards in Prato (Florence)
- 2002Guest artist at the Quebec Autumn Salon
- Founding member of the Galuart group
- Work held in the Afundación Collection
Press and critical writing
- Diario Luso-Galaico · 2025Armando Martínez, o escultor que volve a Portugal
A feature on his return to Portugal, the country where most of his public work stands.
- Diario Luso-Galaico · 2025El arte de Armando Martínez cruza fronteras: de Galicia a Dublín
On the commission of a polished slate piece for Dublin.
- Universidade de Lisboa · 2011Inventário de Escultura Pública do Barreiro, 1939/2011
Master’s thesis by Rita Alexandra Belo Guerra, which names him the Galician sculptor with the most public works in Portugal.
- Costa BritesArmando Martinez, a «pedra-mãe» e a alegria sem fim da viagem
An essay by the Coimbra journalist on his bond with stone and his life’s journey.
- António Álvarez SolísLa aventura hacia adentro
An essay on the Galician spirit that runs through his sculpture.
- Fernando Elorrieta ReySobre «Movimiento» (1997)
A commentary on «Movimiento», part of the art collection of the former Caixa Galicia.
- Colección AfundaciónArmando Martínez — ficha de autor
His work in the Afundación art collection (formerly Caixanova).
- GalipediaArmando Martínez
His entry in the Galician Wikipedia.
Public monuments
More than fifty monuments in squares, parks and roundabouts across Portugal and Galicia. Almost all of them were carved in situ, on the very spot where they stand today. Tap a photo to enlarge it.
Where they are
Tap a dot or a place to see its photos.
Off the map: a public sculpture in Norway (2010) and St James the Apostle in Dublin (2025).
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Other monuments (no photo available)
- 199516 m² stone mural, Rosalía de Castro Street, Vigo
- 19978 m² black-stone mural, Pontevedra
- 2008Bust of Luís da Graça, Ataija de Cima, Alcobaça
- 2013Monument to olive oil, Alvaiázere
- 2025St James the Apostle, St James’s Church, Dublin — slate
Let’s talk about your piece.
To ask about the price and availability of a work, or to discuss a bespoke commission, write to the studio. Mention the piece number if you have already chosen one.
info@armandoescultor.com