Aesthetical Relations

by Christina Catherine Martinez

Literary Nonfiction. Art. Edited by Clare Kelly. AESTHETICAL RELATIONS is a constellation of essays on art, fashion, cancer, comedy, Los Angeles, and your mom. Martinez whips elements of fiction and stand up material into bits and pieces addressing both the critical and personal; including how many times you may kiss an art-world acquaintance, the theoretical stakes of sexting, and why German performance art is quite like French clowning. AESTHETICAL RELATIONS is titled after Martinez's ongoing conceptual comedy talk show of the same name. With an introduction by writer and comedian Jamie Loftus.

Genres: Memoir, Art, Essays, Nonfiction

84 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2019

Reviews

[Kate McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, fast, but with depth of soul rarely found in comedic reads. Read it over the course of two baths. Simply wonderful.

[Steven Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful and funny collection of short essays on art criticism and self-realization in the strange purgatory of being an "other" in an insular society. Each essay considers an aspect of the author's struggle, dealing with being fetishized by men for being a Latinx woman, being talked down too by upper society for perceived lack of refinement and being directionless while filled with ambition.

The longer pieces concerning a single artwork were particularly beautiful, weaving in her own life's experiences to inform the otherwise blank canvas of art criticism. She manages to expose the banality and superficiality of the high art world while lovingly uncovering art's true potential for depth and meaning.

In her writing and comedy - which is how I found this book in the first place - she has a refreshing and unique voice. Aesthetical Relations is enjoyable to read and affecting for anyone who has ever wanted more for their life than it seems life wanted to give them.

[Sarah K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this author on Twitter when she put together a video to sell her car. I watch it 20 times. She linked this book she wrote since the funny little video took off. She’s a comedian, and artist, and she describes real (or perhaps made up, as she claims in the Note) life and it’s hilarious absurdity. There’s nothing like waxing intellectual on the color of the year and how it relates to a colostomy bag. Some of these little short stories are pretty wordy and I had to work to get through it. Others are hilarious commentaries of real life (in the LA fashion and art scene, no less.) life imitating art.

[Angella d'Avignon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the funniest books about art that I’ve ever read and ART IS NOT FUNNY!

[Robbie Bruens]

Christina Catherine Martinez wrote a very lovely book that really helped me out a lot in the early quarantine days. It is a book about art, about ways of seeing and struggling, about coping with trauma, about dealing with men and other monsters, about how to find a way forward in a world full of darkness. In other words, it’s a book perfectly suited for our times, which are forever. Christina has been a huge inspiration to me for years, and I am privileged that she is also my friend. There are no jokes in this caption because I simply can’t write one as good as Christina can. Go buy her book right now please!

[Kandace · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the fans of affective theory with a side of art criticism and from the view of on the ground performance artist living with a chronic illness there is a lot packed into these 80 or so pages! Found this at Skylights books in LA, and I'm grateful I splurged on it - I'm now an official fan of Christina Catherine Martinez.

[Rye · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The highest design is no match for how easily the slow fart of history can leave you cut up and inside out in the middle of La Brea.”

Vulnerable, consistently funny and uniquely Christina. I have a feeling I’ll return to this one often.

[Shadi Hussein · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't really worth reading.