The paintings by San Antonio native Vincent Valdez connect the past to the present through his own reflections and observations.
They feature large-scale portraits of boxers, gang members, and political figures and boldly take on social injustice and underrepresented communities.
Valdez said his paintings reflect the love and hardships unfolding in contemporary America.
“I’ve often described my work as a functioning report,” he said. “I offer it as a public record, not only as a means to capture my moment in time, but as a means to help examine the past in order to make sense of the present.”
Valdez, whose works have appeared at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, was recently recognized by the MacArthur Foundation.
He was one of 20 recipients across several fields who will receive the $800,000 prize to continue his work.
Valdez said receiving the fellowship was a great honor.
“The recognition is most important because it’s such a powerful motivating force especially in the times when, for many artists, it's easy to convince yourself that nobody’s watching and nobody really cares,” Valdez said.
Valdez is also the artist-in-resident with the Alamo Colleges District. His exhibit “La Línea/The Line,” is currently on display through February at the Alamo Colleges District Common Ground Gallery at 2222 North Alamo St.
The collection reflects on what we inherit through blood, through memory, and through community.
