M. Giovanni Valderas’ Saludos features a colloquial salutation used in the Hispanic community: “ay te miro” (see you later) is a slang term used upon departure from a gathering of friends and family. Though the saying is often used nonchalantly, it can also represent the fortitude, perseverance and hope of the Latino community. The two-dimensional work is enhanced by embellishments of texture and color used in piñatas, one of the most iconic symbols of Hispanic culture, transforming the original meaning to one of cultural equity and unity.

Valderas is a practicing artist and native of Dallas. He graduated from the College of Visual Arts & Design at the University of North Texas with a Master of Fine Arts in Drawing & Painting. His most recent paintings incorporate mixed media, duct tape, paper, acrylic paint, wood, drawing and screen print. He pulls from his culture, history and origins to produce three-dimensional paintings that address the tattered relationships with his Guatemalan, Mexican and American ancestry.