Julio Valdez
Reflections on Returning

We have known Julio Valdez so long that we almost cannot remember not knowing him. He was in one of the first group of graduates of Altos de Chavón School of Design, the innovative art and design affiliate of Parsons School of Design, founded in La Romana, Dominican Republic in 1983. From those days until now, he has retained the luster and sense of wonder that made him stand out as a young artist.

For Julio Valdez, the period of artistic experimentation, skill acquisition, and familiarization with art history were accomplished with surprising ease compared with the other students of his group. From the outset, he was on his way to being an artist. Such profound determination was atypical among his peers. It called our attention, provoking the admiration of all, and even the envy of some. We hired him to teach despite his being scarcely older than the students. His talent, however, was unmistakable. Professionalism had taken hold. Julio Valdez had learned the steps and his journey to success and recognition was in progress.

When he began to experience the kind of gallery and exhibition inclusion that now is commonplace for him, it reaffirmed our belief that quality still is rewarded. When he won the prizes and the attention of critics and collectors, when he was juried into the important shows, it was clear why. He set an impressive example. Julio Valdez leaves little or nothing to chance. He researches the possibilities. He makes the deadlines, frames and packs the artwork himself, arranges for the shipping, and conceives and oversees the catalog design. No detail escapes him; nothing is haphazard or casual.

His art is one with his attitude toward work. His painting and printmaking are meticulous, carefully experimental, full of hard work, and endlessly self-evaluated. When something unexpected emerges, thanks to his clear command of the craft, it seems calculated; there are passages that appear to contain provoked accidents and controlled ambiguities - but there is never chaos or fury. The work shimmers with harmony and unity. Julio Valdez's quintessential visual blend is as melodic and lyrical as the music he listens to as he works. Personal symbols for humankind, beasts, and flora emerge from the profound depths of his layered painted environments with ease and grace.

This extraordinary painter, printmaker, and draftsman compels us to note the course he is on. With this show at the Altos de Chavón Gallery in La Romana, where his talent was spawned, he honors his roots and shows us how far he has come in so little time.

 

Dominique Bluhdorn, president
The Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation

Martha Vidal, director
The Altos de Chavón Gallery

Stephan D. Kaplan, rector
The Altos de Chavón School of Design