Christopher Martin’s You Can’t Hide… (2025, Mixed Media Sculpture) continues his exploration of words as sculptural mantras—statements suspended in space with a physical force that renders them unavoidable.

The work features a white panel punctured by a black arrow, anchoring the phrase “YOU CAN’T HIDE WHAT’S INSIDE” in bold, hand-painted typography. The sharp intrusion of the arrow into the clean surface echoes the message itself: the inevitability of truth emerging, the impossibility of fully concealing inner realities.

The text, rendered in simple, block-like lettering, carries the rhythm of a universal proverb—simultaneously personal and collective. Its directness confronts the viewer, challenging reflection on authenticity, vulnerability, and the tension between appearance and reality.

The minimal black-and-white palette reinforces clarity, stripping the work down to its essentials: word, object, and impact. The arrow, a recurring motif in Martin’s practice, symbolizes both violence and precision—transforming the phrase into a lived experience, something struck into permanence rather than casually spoken.

In You Can’t Hide…, Martin encapsulates a psychological truth within a striking sculptural gesture. It is at once poetic and confrontational, a reminder that what lies beneath the surface—emotion, truth, or identity—cannot remain hidden forever. The work stands as both warning and affirmation: authenticity always finds its way through.

Dimensions: 14.5in x 10.5in x 17in
Medium: Ink on Paper + Wood Arrow