Vincent Valdez Highlights America's Unseen History in 'Just a Dream...'
Interdisciplinary works that urge viewers to reflect on unresolved issues of race and justice.
Vincent Valdez’s Just a Dream… is a landmark museum survey showcasing over two decades of his work, running through March 23, 2025 at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston before traveling to MASS MoCA. Spanning early career drawings to contemporary allegorical portraits, the exhibition cements Valdez as one of the most significant American painters who explores the nation’s political, social and cultural landscapes. Valdez’s practice, which encompasses painting, video, sculpture, lithography nd multimedia installation, delves into collective memory and overlooked political histories, confronting the brutal realities of American history.
The exhibition includes works from across Valdez’s career, including his critically acclaimed The “Strangest Fruit series” (2013), which addresses the lynching of Mexicans in Texas. Valdez’s new work, commissioned by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, focuses on the murder of Jose Campos Torres, a Chicano Vietnam veteran killed by police in 1977, the year of Valdez’s birth. Collaborating with his partner Adriana Corral, Valdez creates a memorial piece using materials from the site where Torres was murdered.
Valdez’s work calls attention to America’s forgotten histories, urging viewers to reflect on unresolved issues of race and justice. The exhibition’s timing is particularly poignant, opening just after a pivotal presidential election.
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
5216 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX 77006
