Mary A. Valverde: Encoded marks, unwinding paths
curated by Eva Mayhabal Davis
February 10th- May 7th, 2022
Mary A. Valverde, Encoded marks, unwinding paths (2022), exhibition view courtesy of The Latinx Project at NYU
The Latinx Project presents a solo exhibition by Mary A. Valverde, FA’21 to SP’22 A.I.R., that emphasizes the potential of mark-making. Through on-site installations and works on paper an abstracted aesthetic language emerges.
Mary's hypnotic grasp on repetition and color is layered intellectually and physically. She is inspired by a deep study of Andean Indigenous and African roots, specifically, their mathematical, architectural, and astronomical achievements. A lamentable reality looms, reminding viewers of the innumerable artifacts and documents that have been historically plundered and pillaged. Current archives bare little to no acknowledgement of the rich cultures and prowess of the Indigenous and African peoples of the American continent.
Valverde’s work, informed by personal research and inherited ties to her roots, seeks to remedy this imposed amnesia. Her work becomes a re-imagined visual record influenced by both archives of Andean culture, and a diasporic well of knowledge.
Moments of gold paint glimmer through tones of brown, red, yellow, and blue opacities. A nod to the foundational philosophy of duality; positive and negative, light and dark. In Marks and Measures, layers of oil on paper act as studies, denoting the possibilities of pattern, color, and adornment in grander scales. In the installation, Huaca (Angles, Sequence no.1), Valverde’s use of fluctuating boards and binding tape is responsive to the flexibility required for survival. A huaca refers to various Andean architectural complexes, lavishly decorated and embellished for spiritual and cultural importance.
Encoded marks, unwinding paths invites us to meditate on the essence of these architectural triumphs, and seeks to reimagine ancient space into our collective futures.
Eva Mayhabal Davis, Curator
Exhibition photos by Tere Garcia, courtesy of The Latinx Project at NYU
About the Artist
Mary Valverde (born 1975, Queens, NY) is an interdisciplinary artist based in New York. She received her MFA at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 as a School of Design's Dean's Diversity Fellow, and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts, NY in 1999. Valverde teaches at Hunter College. Her work, "Huaca", exhibited at BRIC for the Latinx Abstraction show was featured in the New York Times. Valverde has given lectures and exhibited work at BRIC, Smack Mellon, MoCA North Miami, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, The New Jersey State Museum, Art Center South Florida, El Museo del Barrio, The Queens Museum of Art, Jersey City Museum, Momenta Gallery, Saltworks Gallery, Corridor Gallery, Rush Arts Gallery, Diaspora Vibe Gallery, Aferro Gallery, among others. Since 2015 Valverde serves as a Commissioner (Sculptor seat) for the Public Design Commission of the City of New York, and often contributes as an advisor to the NYC Cultural Arts Affairs. Valverde is a 2021 CCSRE Arts Practitioner Fellow at Stanford University. She has been in residence at the Thomas Hunter Ceramic Artist in Residence in 2014, an MFA Lecturer at the ICA Philadelphia in 2011, at Artist Alliance Residency 2007, and at Aljira Center for Contemporary Art's Emerge Program in 2006. Valverde has curated exhibitions and published her writing through AC Institute, NY and the Korean Cultural Center of New York.
About the Curator
Eva Mayhabal Davis (b. Toluca, Mexico) is a cultural advocate, working directly with artists and creatives in the production of exhibitions, texts, and events. She has curated exhibitions at BronxArtSpace, MECA International Art Fair, the Queens Museum, Smack Mellon, The Bronx Museum of Arts and is a co-director at Transmitter, a collaborative curatorial initiative. She is a founding member of El Salón, a creative and soulful potluck. Her writing has been featured in exhibition catalogs and publications such as the New York University Hemispheric Institute’s Cuadernos, Foundwork Dialogues and Nueva Luz: Photographic Journal.
Related Programs
In-Convo: Creative’s Panel
Moderated by Eva Mayhabal Davis, join us for a ZOOM panel on Valverde’s latest installations at The Latinx Project.
Opening Day Walk-through
Click below for an opening day walk-through of Encoded marks, unwinding paths with the artist and curator.
Meet Mary Valverde
Get to know the artist, and the calatyst for this exhibition, through a short Q & A with TLP Staff.
Visitation
The Latinx Project, New York University, 285 Mercer Street, NY/NY
February 10th - May 7th, 2022
Tuesday - Friday, 11am - 5pm
NYU has put in place specific restrictions for campus safety as we navigate Covid-19. Gallery hours apply to NYU Students, Faculty, & Staff who have been approved for access. For all other community members, please complete this form to schedule an appointment during open hours.