Photo credits: Opera Gallery Monaco
Opera Gallery Monaco will mount its most ambitious solo exhibition to date this fall, unveiling a sweeping retrospective of Spanish artist Manolo Valdés. On view from September 20 through October 24, 2025, the exhibition will span more than four decades of Valdés’ prolific career, bringing together paintings, sculptures, and collages from 1983 to the present.
Best known for reimagining classical art through a contemporary lens, Valdés draws on historical figures such as Velázquez and Matisse while forging a distinct visual language rooted in material experimentation and cultural memory. The Monaco exhibition will spotlight key works from his celebrated Reina Mariana, Infantas, and Cabezas series - among them large-scale busts in aluminum, wood, Murano glass, and resin, as well as heavily textured collages in burlap and oil.
Monumental sculptures from his Librería series, evoking bookshelves as symbols of collective knowledge, will also feature prominently. According to Damien Simonelli, Director of Opera Gallery Monaco, the show offers an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of Equipo Crónica, the avant-garde group co-founded by Valdés in 1965 that helped redefine Spanish art under Francoist rule.
Photo credits: Opera Gallery Instagram. Manolo Valdés
In a parallel initiative, monumental sculptures will be installed along Larvotto Beach from August 31 through December 25, extending Valdés’ public art presence beyond the gallery walls. The timing coincides with preparations for Espai Manolo Valdés, a new museum dedicated to the artist’s work, scheduled to open in Valencia in late 2026.
Valdés’ work is held in major public collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Centre Pompidou, and Museo Reina Sofía, with his outdoor sculptures installed in cities from New York to Düsseldorf. The Monaco presentation marks a significant moment in the continuing global recognition of one of Spain’s most influential living artists.