Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – An art exhibition by Guadalajara artist Luis Castellanos Valui opens at Galleria Dante November 29 as part of the first South Side Shuffle of the season. Stop by Vallarta’s largest and most eclectic art gallery to meet the artists and enjoy complimentary cocktails from 6-10 pm.
Born in Guadalajara in 1955, Luis Castellanos Valui is a painter who infuses his Latin American roots with the traditions of tropical jazz and cafe culture. Collected by the J. Paul Getty Institute and Capitol Records, Valui creates rhythmic images, bringing his subjects to life. His works are also in the collection of Atlas and Mambo Restaurants, Go West Productions, Televisa, Ripstein Collection, Univision. At his openings in Los Angeles, many Hollywood jet setters are among the collectors.
Luis studied for two years at the Fine Arts University in Guadalajara. At the age of 20 he moved to Mexico City where he studied at the “Esmeralda” school. He restored Colonial and Pre-Hispanic art for 4 years at the request of the Mexican government.
He then established himself in the Bohemian community of Tepoztlan, Morelos, a small village south of Mexico City. There, he began his formal career as a painter. In 1986, he had his first individual exhibition at the prestigious OMR Gallery in Mexico City.
“For me, in the beginning it was van Gogh,” Valui says. “But, over the years, I learned about the German Expressionists, pre-Hispanic art, and became influenced by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall.” Not just people, but animals are also a favorite subject – crabs, parrots, lions, tigers being some of his most favorites to paint.
Musicians and dancers recur in Mr. Valui’s paintings, and their heat and energy are palpable. You could get a charley horse in your calf just looking at his dancers’ legs. “We say in Mexico, when you are a musician who is very …” he rolled his hand in the air, “… very talented, very into it, we say, ‘tiene duende,’ he has it in his blood, in his soul.”
Valui paints in oil, as well as water color. When you attend his shows, you will hear the friendly bantering of his collectors: “Well I own 7 of his paintings.” Another will say “But I own 14.” Very few people stop at purchasing only one painting by Luis. The paintings make you smile and leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
Luis is a painter of our senses, what you feel looking at his paintings: to dance, to sing, to dream, to love. And when it comes to dance, there is probably not a style that Luis has not painted: mambo, tango, salsa, cha-cha-cha, waltz. There are scenes on the beach, by the campfire, in plazas, street and market scenes. His paintings are fresh, luminous and definitely tropical. They are full of humor and saturated with color and light. Thank you Luis for bringing us such joy.
Come and meet this wonderful artist for cocktails from 6:00 to 10:00 pm on Friday, November 29th at Galleria Dante.
While you are there, be sure to check out Di Vino Dante, a chic wine and tapas bar overlooking the gallery’s sculpture garden that serves creative cuisine and cocktails Monday-Saturday from 2:00-11:00 pm, and features live music every M, T, W, F & Sat night. Please Note: Di Vino Dante does not take reservations on South Side Shuffle nights.
Open Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm, Galleria Dante is located at Basilio Badillo #269 in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone. For more information, visit GalleriaDante.com, call (322) 222-2477, or email galleriadante(at)gmail.com.
Click HERE to learn more about Galleria Dante.