Description

Together with Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), Mass MoCA is organizing the first retrospective exhibition of the Houston-based contemporary painter Vincent Valdez. A survey of two decades of work, “Just a Dream . . .” will present the monumentally scaled narrative works in which Valdez channels western history painting, public murals, and modern cinema, to probe past injustices and champion contemporary acts of resistance and survivance. Informed by the Chicano muralists whom he had assisted in his hometown of San Antonio, Valdez focused from the start on the pernicious social impacts of racial bias, xenophobia, and inequalities of wealth and power. Viewers will experience the bold realism Valdez has honed to unmask past and present white supremacist violence–particularly that enacted upon Mexicans and Mexican Americans–and to uplift his community and a broader audience with positive images of diverse American lives and cultures. 
This grant aligns with the AAP strategic goal 1a: To advance innovative museum projects that prioritize representation and equity through the preservation, study, and presentation of work by under-represented artists of color, collaborations with diverse external partners, and outreach to underserved communities.