Real Art News: August 2023

Monday 28 August 2023

Aaarrgghhh ....I ...Am ....Valerio - Wulf

A ten year exercise in Investigative democracy for the sake of public interest almost thwarted by a cross dressing socialist and the theft of a bunny rabbit ....

It's definitely a funny old world ...

I think it was around Christmas 2013 ...what seemed like a completely overwhelming legal situation had erupted off the back of the coalition stripping back local authorities annual budgets at the time ... I was sitting on my parents sofa and the television was on , this weird animated film was on, where this cartoon character version of a Nordic Brad Pitt with Ray winstines voice was recounting and reciting some perilous and impossible tale ... I sat there not terribly engrossed in the story , but rolled my eyes and I am sure I even said aloud , " yeah man ...I can dig it " Roll on ten years and just the other day , similar situation , sat there with that same movie on in the background of a brief few moments respite from the insane and inane adventure of life. ... The fight against the Grendel troll is no longer the prevalence of parody that it once did , I find myself , as well I might as the years have rolled past ...reflecting on a latter part of that rehashed animation of a Nordic folk tale . The original Arts Hole Vs Plymouth city council . 2013 - 2023

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The Signature Style

Part of the ongoing body of works that have been come to be known as ' the Valerio Signature Style ' that has now come to encompass independent sub headings within the genre, including , ' The mandalas ' , ' The Orgy Balls ' , ' Studies of the Female Form ' , ' Cerebral ' and ' Unorthodox'

A manner of works I began working on as a child , to attempt to keep away from over embellishing them or over anthropomorphising or patterning , just to stay in the most grounding earthy tones and let the mind wander through the undulations to assist in the firing of the imagination

'The Under-exaggerated Origins of V'

After studying at Plymouth College of Art and Design, Valerio continued his studies at Sheffield Hallam University and Greenwich University and West Kent College.

Now based between his studio in Cornwall and Amsterdam, he is able to collaborate with some of the best known names in Art and Architecture on an international scale as well as here at home in the south west.

Valerio Describes his own work as ' dreamlike manifestations, evoking less than circumstantial references to archetypal memories of landscapes, and local geographies, figurative studies and all in between that which is captured in the veld of the diverse experiences that make up a lifetime.'

Chris Burchell, Art Critic and Curator of the Wharf Gallery , Tavistock 2010

written a few years ago now.

Valerio has been a keen art student. he has made excellent progress, demonstrating an imaginative and innovative response to a variety of stimuli, and has produced some outstanding units of course work.

Valerio has improved his ability to draw from observation with increasing skill and enjoys working in a variety of media, he has shown ability to draw from experience and imagination. Valerio has produced paintings of unusual quality, and shows a real awareness of the use of colour. His heightened critical awareness of other artists and cultures is an integral and successful aspect of his own work and he works well independently. Valerio's talent recommends him without question.

1998 Sue Lord artist and teacher

What do you make of the artist as a person?

Valerio , the man is a Raving Maniac, A genuine charicature of what an artist should be, hes eloquent and polite soft spoken and gentile , unless he is working on something of particular focus then he can be irritable , and unreasonable , never knowing if he is about to burst into song , or scream and shout a series of profanities against whatever is vexing him most at the time, even visitors to the gallery , ever outspoken and provocative toward debate, the constant array of models and well wishers that tend to come with the Artists Gallery appearances , can make even a quiet day seem lively!

Elusive is something of an understatement with this Artist and appearances are Rare as are his lectures and public exposures but a keen collaborator you will find the signature Valerio influence in many places you really wouldnt be expecting to find it, A very strong talent for such a young Artist already exhibiting his well developed style so that it is instantly recognizable, a Talent and a Character rapidly gaining in influence and popularity, and deservedly so!

T. McCracken Owner of The Tiffany Gallery East Looe

101 Reasons....

From the series of sketchbook illustrations that eventually became the published book of illustrations ' 101 Reasons to choose a vocation in the creative industries ' the original series started out as a series of autobiographical sidenotes in my working sketchbooks, a clear homage to the work of Ralph Steadman and Hunter Thompson, are little cartoons I have been doing during those moments when you say to yourself ' what the actual F**k ??!!' which can happen a lot in this job !! the original set of sketchbook thumbnails were each revised for the publication and have always proved a great hit in their own right whenever they have gone on display at exhibition . Now in the 11th year of ongoing production, the series now consists of over 200 hundred images depicting recollections or reflections from Working Corporate positions in 2000 -my first pop up gallery ' The Arts Hole in Cornwall '2006- 'The Green Star House ' Design and build Project 2009- through the political and legal battles of the 'Valerio Institute'2013- to our most recent projects of ' Why Not ' in Amsterdam and the latest ART B&B and education projects running in parallel in Cornwall u.k and Amsterdam N.L 2016/2017 It Really has been quite a ride