Paul Valadez: FRAGMENTS

May 14, 2009 - August 16, 2009

The exhibition, “FRAGMENTS,” by, Paul Valadez, will be on display at IMAS May 14, 2009 through August 16, 2009.

Paul Valadez who resides in the Rio Grande Valley and is a teacher/lecturer in the Art Department at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, TX, has been greatly influenced by his surroundings and the landscape along the Texas/Mexico border. Wanting to capture the feel of the border through his works Valadez took many drives along the border of Texas and Mexico and creatively decided to represent this through the painting of the vast array of signs that represented the Valley. With this influence Valadez worked for over three years in painting this 450 piece exhibit that will present an installation of hand painted signs including, fragments of text, words, phrases and overheard things that he has seen and heard while living in the Valley. IMAS will display the largest of the “FRAGMENTS” exhibit collection at 450 pieces, in its third showing in the state of Texas, since this exhibit was initially created. The exhibition, “FRAGMENTS,” by, Paul Valadez, will be on display at IMAS May 14, 2009 through August 16, 2009.

As Valadez started to work on the “FRAGMENTS” collection he recalls childhood memories of sitting and watching his father, who was a painter in his profession, work on creating signs as he would sit and do his homework at the kitchen table. So it could be said that his inspiration of painting signs may of been born at that time. Although, not knowing in his childhood that he would become an artist, Valadez sought out many other avenues before receiving his BFA in Interdisciplinary Art from the San Francisco Art Institute. He then later, at the request of his mother, applied to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Where he earned his MFA in Studio Art in 2003, where he was also awarded a Weiss Urban Livability Fellowship. Valadez was recently selected to participate in the 2009 Texas Biennial. “Arte of the Rio Grande” 2005 Biennial, IMAS, McAllen, Texas, the RGV Museum in Harlingen and the “Delta Exhibition”, Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock and lectured at the International Museum of Art and Science. In addition he was invited to show in the “Violent Violence”, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Netherlands and was selected for the “New American Talent 16”, Texas Fine Arts Association Juried Competition in 2001.

For more information, please call IMAS at 956.682.1564

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