Eddie Martinez, Olive Garden, 2024.
Micro-nation enthusiasts, unite! Because if there has to be such a thing as countries, then they should be as tiny as possible. Though there's nothing diminutive about the paintings and sculptures of American artist Eddie Martinez, who was chosen to represent this cute little Italy-enclosed splotch. Martinez's own splotches, loaded with chromatic charisma and interlaid with dashing and rhythmical linework, are verdant, fruitful, and sexy as hell. My favorite of the paintings is Olive Garden, 2024, which I'm fairly certain is not a reference to the restaurant.