Show Luis Miguel Valdés, Tributes - Moises Valdes Gallery

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UPCOMING

Works in this show

“She went too”, 2016
oil and acrylic on canvas, 48 × 72 in.

“In 2014 Cuba and the United States re-established diplomatic relations after more than 50 years. From that moment, it became fashionable to go to Havana. It was former President Obama, the Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, Madonna, and thousands of tourists from all over The world. This painting refers to the number of visits that Havana had at that time symbolized by Botticelli’s Venus entering her shell through the Bay of Havana. It is also part of several tributes that I have made in my career, to artists and works of art from all of history.“

“Dream of Spring”, 2016
oil and acrylic on canvas, 48 × 72 in.

“This painting is dedicated to the situation of thousands of Cubans who have emigrated from the island, mainly to the United States and specifically to Miami, and recreates the dream of a mother and her child to reach the other shore through the sea that divides the two nations They are located on the wall of the Malecon in Havana and it seems that they are seeing the lights of the city of Miami.

The clothing of the characters refers to the white clothing that Afro-Cuban religious wear to ask for all their wishes through prayers and different types of worship. As part of the traditional use made by Cubans of the wall of the boardwalk, a figure that is fishing appears in the right corner. The reference to Botticelli’s painting is, in this case, an allegory to the draw for visas that the United States makes to grant travel or asylum permits, and the Cupid will make with his arrow the selection of the lucky person who will achieve his Dream of Spring.“

“Painter painting to painter painting”, 2017
acrylic on canvas, 58 × 83 in.

“Often artists make works based on the work of other artists, and in this painting, I wanted to take to the extreme the version I wanted to make of this painting by Toulouse Lautrec and the best solution was to do it to him by painting his painting. Hence the title.”

“Mucha Cathedral”, 2017,
oil and acrylic on canvas, 55 × 72 in. (in private collection)

“One of the painters that I admire the most is Alfonse Mucha and in this painting, I pay tribute to him by locating two of his emblematic figures resting on the reliefs of the Cathedral of Havana. In my work, I have worked many times on the image of the Cathedral of La Havana and for that reason, the title becomes a play on words, alluding to the number of versions I have made of that building and my admiration for this artist.”

“My left hand”, 2017
oil and acrylic on canvas, 58 × 83 in.

“In this painting, I wanted to pay tribute to my auxiliary hand. I am right-handed, and my left hand is the multipurpose companion who always accompanies me. It is assumed that whoever does my work is the right hand and to whom the tribute should be dedicated, but always We must acknowledge the help of all those who make my work possible and the closest collaborator is this hand. It is a tangential tribute to all the people who have enabled the development of my career and my work and who deserve all my recognition.”