Spain
* March 8, 1942 Valencia
The artworks of Manolo Valdés are characterized by a distinctive fusion of art history and modern design. As a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist, he reinterprets famous classical masterpieces of European painting – particularly works by Velázquez, Goya, and Matisse – with themes that often recur across different media.
Valdés, who was born in Valencia and works in New York, succeeds in placing familiar motifs in a new, contemporary context through the use of Pop Art elements and collages made from various materials such as wood, bronze, fabric, or synthetic resin. His works appear as independent artworks even without knowledge of the original.
His figures (often large female heads) typically have a rough surface, clear contours, and few details. Faces are frequently only suggested; traces of the material are visible, which is an important part of the artistic effect. Many of his sculptures are large-scale and radiate a meditative calm and dignity.
