We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Daniel Valle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Daniel below.

Daniel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I’m a self-taught artist who’s been inspired by the unlimited cultural richness of my country, Mexico. I always being drawn by art related to keep our traditions alive, since these are part of our identities not just as Mexicans but also as human beings. One of the traditions that inspired my work is The day of the Death, I’ve always been amaze by the Altars and the whole festivity that we have to celebrate and remember our love ones and in a way, to never let them die, we invite them to come back with us every year by offering all the goodies that they loved when they were alive, and let them know that we haven’t forget about them an never will. As a result, I’ve been exploring themes related and expanding my body of work. As I decided to start sculpting, I got inclined to work with paper mache for many reasons, first of all because is a way of recycling and not hurting our environment, is very appropriated material to make my sculptures, is strong, sturdy and durable, I love the process of turning such a rough material into something beautiful, is so satisfactory.
Part of my work represents also the Aztec culture, which is also very important to me for the meaning of a lot of their traditions and rituals, like having many different gods who where the creators of our nature and the way they used to thank them for all the good that they have bring to us.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Daniel Valle was born in Mexico City in 1974, but spend most of his life in New York City. A self-taught artist, and tattoo artist who is been inspired by the unlimited cultural richness of his country, works on large-scale sculptures and very small as well, using primarily paper mache as well as paper clay, ceramic and a wide range of recycling materials.
His art is been feature in many group shows in galleries, parades, theaters, schools, concerts, cultural events, art festivals, the children’s Museum of the art of New York, American museum of natural history, Queens museum, Moving image museum, .

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

As an immigrant our traditional art, ritual and traditions tend to dissipate, however, Daniel Valle Art seeks to be the bridge between people and culture, so that traditions remain alive no matter how far away from home people are. His aspiration is to be a reference of Mexican art in the United States of America, and to show the richness and diversity of Mexican culture through works of different dimensions and formats, that invite reflection and pride of the culture and the diaspora.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Art is been the only way to express myself amply, I have always feel the need to share, revive, preserve, continue and innovate part of the traditions from my country that make me the person that I’m today. Working with recycle materials, particularly paper is some how my way to give back to the planet and provides me expression freedom.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://danielvalleart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielvalleart/?hl=es
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/frPumKniovqUphDL/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-valle-4ba33738?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: @danielvalle6615
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/igualquelnahual/