305 - MANOLO VALDÉS (Valencia, 1942).

MANOLO VALDÉS (Valencia, 1942). "Queen Mariana as a pretext". 1984. Etching, copy 69/75. Signed and justified by hand. Measurements: 42 x 30 cm (print); 70 x 56,5 cm (paper). Work belonging to one of the most emblematic series of Manolo Valdés, in which the artist takes as a starting point the historical figure of Mariana of Austria painted by Velázquez to turn it into a creative "pretext" from which to reflect on the cultural memory. In this piece, Valdés reduces the image to an essential scheme of lines and shapes, incorporating geometric elements and a vivid chromaticism that refers to the language of collage. The result is a contemporary reinterpretation loaded with irony and formal synthesis, where the classic is transformed into a new icon. Manolo Valdés is one of the key figures of contemporary Spanish art. Co-founder in 1964 of the Equipo Crónica group, he developed a language that combines social criticism, humor and pop influence. Since 1981 he has consolidated an international career in painting, sculpture and graphic work, dialoguing with the great masters such as Velázquez and Goya. He has received important awards, including the National Plastic Arts Award and the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts. His work is part of prominent institutional collections such as the Reina Sofía Museum (Madrid), the MoMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim (New York), as well as the Centre Pompidou (Paris), among others.