Favorite: Graphite Works on Paper by Vincent Valdez

Laugh today cry mañana, 2008, Graphite on paper, 92"x42"

When I was at Miami Art Basel this past December, I stopped by the Western Project room at the Aqua Fair and stumbled into this masterful work on paper by San Antonio, TX born artist Vincent Valdez. Seeing it on your computer screen doesn’t give you a good sense of it’s size and proportion so I’m including a picture of me standing next to the piece which you can check out after the jump. You’ll also want to take a peek at his piece, “Death of the prize fighter”, which follows.

Many of Valdez’s pieces have a distinct Chicano muralist aesthetic. The artist began drawing at a very young age and was mentored by the artist/muralist Alex Rubio. Valdez received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and continues to show at national galleries. Though much of his work is colorful and rich in narratives dealing with Chicano history, I’m drawn to the minimalism and power of these boxer graphite pieces.

"Death of the prize fighter", 2006, Charcoal on paper, 32"x84"