Opera Gallery in Monaco will host its largest-ever solo exhibition of Spanish master Manolo Valdés this autumn, with a sweeping showcase of paintings, sculptures, and collages spanning more than four decades of the artist’s career.
Valdés, celebrated for his inventive reinterpretations of art historical icons, is presenting works from 1983 through to 2025, including pieces from his famed Reina Mariana, Infantas and Cabezas series. The exhibition explores how recurring forms and motifs evolve across time and media, drawing inspiration from Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas(1656) to Henri Matisse’s Femme au chapeau (1905).
The works on view include textural mixed media collages in burlap and oil, paintings, and monumental sculptures in aluminium, wood, resin, and Murano glass. Among them is a striking piece from his Librería series, a towering wooden facade echoing the form of a library, paying tribute to knowledge, memory, and cultural heritage. Outdoor sculptures will also be installed at Larvotto Beach from 31st August to 25th December, 2025, expanding the reach of the exhibition into the public realm.
Marking six decades of artistic innovation
“This exhibition serves as a moment to reflect on the significance and lingering influence of Equipo Crónica, which Valdés co-founded in 1965,” said Damien Simonelli, Director of Opera Gallery Monaco. “Over the course of his more than six-decade career, Valdés has developed a singular voice that is deeply rooted in art history with a contemporary lens.”
The show also coincides with a milestone moment: 2025 marks 60 years since Valdés co-founded the Spanish art collective Equipo Crónica, which used pop-inspired imagery to challenge Franco’s dictatorship and the canon of art history itself.
A legacy that continues to grow
Looking ahead, Valdés will become one of the few living artists to receive a dedicated museum in his birthplace. The Espai Manolo Valdés will open in Valencia in late 2026 or early 2027, featuring around 30 sculptures, including new and previously unseen works.
Valdés’s work is represented in leading collections worldwide, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the Centre Pompidou in Paris. His monumental sculptures grace public gardens in New York, Düsseldorf, and Chatsworth House in the UK, underscoring his enduring global impact.
With Valdés in Monaco, Opera Gallery is not only celebrating one of Spain’s most visionary artists but also offering residents and visitors an extraordinary opportunity to encounter his work on a scale never before seen in the Principality.
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Photo: Manolo Valdès photographed in his New York studio in 2025, Credit: On White Wall. Right: Reina Mariana Blue, 2025, Painted wood, 180 x 130 x 90 cm |70.9 x 51.2 x 35.4 in, image provided