Manolo Valdés (1942) - Menina

ABOUT THE PRINT
- Etching and aquatint on handmade Eskulan paper.
- Signed and numbered “Studio Proof” in pencil.
- Stamped by Taller Barbarà on the reverse.


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Manolo Valdés (born 1942) is a prominent Spanish contemporary artist known for his paintings, sculptures, and prints that reinterpret masterpieces from art history. Born in Valencia, Spain, he studied at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos before co-founding the influential artistic collective Equipo Crónica in 1964. The group became known for its politically engaged, Pop Art–inspired works that critically examined Francoist Spain and the role of images in mass media.

After Equipo Crónica dissolved in 1981, Valdés developed an independent career marked by a distinctive style that revisits iconic figures from artists such as Velázquez, Goya, Matisse, and Picasso. Rather than copying, he transforms these historical references through bold textures, simplified forms, and rich materials, including burlap, thick impasto, bronze, and aluminum.

Valdés is especially recognized for his large-scale sculptural heads, often displayed in major cities worldwide, which reinterpret classical portraiture with contemporary sensibility. His work has been exhibited internationally in museums and public spaces across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Through his dialogue with art history, Valdés has established himself as a major figure in contemporary figurative art.