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Jose Villalobos

"My work is an investigation of the visual resonances of the landscape. From what appears as chaos, spontaneous order emerges as a fleeting vestige of the meaning of life."

Jose Villalobos studied as an architect at the Autonomous National University of Mexico and practiced this profession for years before the calling of painting was too loud to ignore. Each Villalobos painting is a closed system of relationships, and this effect of elements working together from top to bottom and side-to-side, amounts to a visual journey undertaken by Villalobos—and the viewer—into a personal, interior place full of psychological portents.

Biography

The abstract paintings of Jose Villalobos establish a dynamic tension through the interplay of opposites. The large, architectonic works feature solid forms that also appear evanescent, and areas of mass that are acted upon by a lively line or by drips of pigment. In a Villalobos painting fluidity tempers stability, foreground commingles with infinite space, light frames darkness, and warm colors are in dialogue with cool tones. Villalobos’s well-structured paintings unfold like musical compositions, with subtle relationships emerging slowly, working in concert with the initial impact of his biomorphic arches and openings and geometric debris.

The counterpoint of elements is energetic. Unified by the force of rhythms across the picture plane, shapes, forms and colors move at once out of depth and into space, left, right, up and down in ways that suggest flux or becoming. It is as if his abstractions exist only temporarily, and will change into some other configuration in the next moment, or will flow, like flotsam and jetsam, down the cosmic river.

Each Villalobos painting is a closed system of relationships, and this effect of elements working together from top to bottom and side-to-side, amounts to a visual journey undertaken by Villalobos—and the viewer—into a personal, interior place full of psychological portents.

The Oaxacan painter was trained as an architect at the Autonomous National University of Mexico and practiced this profession for years before the calling of painting was too loud to ignore. Villalobos has been influenced by Mexican modernist painters, including Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo, and uses the earth tones and soulful colors of primitive Mexican culture in his abstract vehicles. Since the early 1980s, Villalobos has exhibited in Mexico City and throughout Mexico.

Born

1950 Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.


Education

Architecture, The Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City.


Solo Exhibitions 

2023 The Light and the City (La Luz y la Ciudad). Casa de las Culturas Contemporáneas. ICSyH BUAP. Puebla, Mexico

2022 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Museo Taller Erasto Cortés. Puebla, Mexico

2021 The Residence of Light (Estancias de Luz). Galería Quetzalli. Oax. Mex.

2019 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca, Mexico

2019 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Il Brunitoio, Gallery and Workshop. Ghiffa, Italy

2017 Sculpture, "Diachrony" (Diacronía). Arronte Building. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Centro Histórico de Puebla, Mex.

2017  Eyes on the Ground (Mirar la Tierra). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Oax., México

2013 Sculpture, "Herald" (Heraldo). Gran Telescopio Milimétrico, Tliltepetl Sierra Negra. Puebla, Mex.

2010  Almanac: omens of time (Almanaque, presagios del tiempo). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

Territories (Territorios). Casa de la cultura oaxaqueña, Oaxaca, Mexico

2009  Almanac: omens of time (Almanaque, presagios del tiempo). Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez, Zacatecas, Mexico

2008  Graphic Work (Obra gráfica). Mexican Consulate, Frankfurt, Germany

2007  Obra reciente (Recent Work). Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA

2006  Wind and land (El viento y la tierra). Museo della stampa casa degli Stamparori Soncino, Soncino, Italy

2005  Constructions of the wind (Construcciones del viento). Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA

2003 Out on the open (A la intemperie). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

2002 Mural: A place of red ash stone (Lugar de rojo tezontle). Hilton Hotel Lobby, Centro Histórico, CDMX, Mexico

2002  Crossing of Winds (Travesía de los vientos). Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño, Puebla, Mexico

1999 The High Lands (Las tierras altas). Centro Cultural Tijuana, Tijuana, BC., México

1998 The High Lands (Las tierras altas). Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1997 Other graphs (Otra gráfica). Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición, Mexico, D.F. Mexico

1996 Houses and things (Las casas y las cosas). Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F. Mexico

1995 Maps from the Mixteca (Lienzos de la Mixteca). Galería Síntesis, Puebla, Mexico

1994 The wasted sea (El mar baldío). Scholarship "Arts International", Instituto Internacional de Educación. Instituto Cultural de México, New York, NY., USA

1993 Time and its places (El tiempo y sus lugares). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico.

1992 Luck or not (De todas suertes). Galeria Kin, Mexico. D.F.

1991 Stubborn memmory (Vestigios obstinados). Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1989 Obra reciente (Recent work). Galería Varia, Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico.

1987 Offerings and relics (Ofrendas y reliquias). Galería Frida Kahlo, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Days on the earth (Días terrenales). Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1984 The waters of the river (Las aguas del río). Exposición Itinerante, Tierra Adentro, INBA, Mexico, D.F.


Group Exhibitions

2023 Abierto/Open Bodega Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

2020 Zona Maco, CDMX, Mexico

2018 Native Lands, sketchs and papers (Tierra Nativa, Dibujos y Papeles). Palacete del Embarcadero, Santander, Spain

2016 Lula’a; matter and memory (Lula’a; materia y memoria). Instalación, José Villalobos, Luis Zárate y Rubén Leyva, Galería Metropolitana, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, CDMX, Mexico

2015 The natural laws of enthropy (Las leyes naturales de la entropía). Galería Metropolitana de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitna, Ciudad de México

2014 Oaxaca in Asia (Presencia de Oaxaca en Asia). National University Museum, South Korea

2013 9/9 Image workshop (9/9 Taller de imágenes). Taller de Fernando Sandoval, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2012  Thinking hand, Oaxacan sketch (Mano pensante, dibujo oaxaqueño), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2012 Dos miradas; Luis Zárate y José Villalobos. Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos, Puebla, Mexico

2010 Taller Gráfica Soruco. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2008 Paréntesis, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2008 El Cabildo, Centro Cultural de la República, Asunción, Paraguay / Instituto Cervantes, Sao Paulo, Brasil /Museo Emilio Caraffa de Córdoba, Argentina /

Museo de Arte Moderno, Bogotá, Colombia

2007 Arte contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Museo Casa Diego Rivera, Guanajuato, Mexico

2006  Arte contemporáneo oaxaqueño, exposición itinerante, Instituto Cultural de Mexico, Miami, Florida, USA / Casa de las Américas, La Habana, Cuba

2005 México Arte Contemporáneo. Feria de arte, Mexico, D.F.

2004  Oaxaca Tierra de Arte. Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, Collezioni dArte e di Storia San Giorgio in Poggiale, Italy

2003  Oaxaca Tierra de Arte, Palazzo Bricherasio, Torino, Italy

2002  Museo Taller Erasto Cortes. Puebla, Mexico

2001 Local and Foreign (Propios y extraños). Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca y Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño, Puebla, Mexico

2000 San Agustín 2000. Taller arte papel OAXACA, San Agustín Etla, México

2000 Fuera de mercado. Antiguo Palacio Federal, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

2000 Homenaje a Rufino Tamayo. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1999 Tiempo y lugar para todos. Centro Cultural de la Secretaria de Hacienda, Mexico, D.F.

1999 Pintores oaxaqueños. Instituto Cultural Mexicano de San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

1998 Imágenes y colores de Oaxaca. IPN, Mexico, D.F.

1998  Presencia de Oaxaca en Asia, Instituto Nacional de Educación, Tembi Gallery, Singapur, Indonesia

1997 Artistas Mexicanos. Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca. Mexico, Museo de Arte Metropolitano de Tokio, Japan

Governant Office Museum, Nagoya, Japan

City Museum, Osaka, Japan

City Museum, Kioto, Japan

1996 Nueve pintores oaxaqueños. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca. Oaxaca, México

1996 Quince artistas mexicanos. Itinerant Exhibit, Europe, supported by the Grupo de los 16 and FONCA. Casa de las Américas, Madrid, Spain

1996 Quince artistas mexicanos. Centro Cultural Mexicano, Paris, France.

1995 Opuestos y simultáneos: doce pintores. Casa Lamm y Galería Quetzalli, Mexico, D.F.

1995 Arte y alma de Oaxaca. Instituto Cultural Mexicano, Texas, USA

1994 Arte y alma de Oaxaca. Instituto Cultural Mexicano, Washington, D.C., USA

1994 Oaxaca, cuna del arte. Instituto Cultural Oaxaqueño, Washington, D.C., USA

1994 Hechizo de Oaxaca. Museo MARCO, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

1994 Preparativos para el diluvio. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1994 Art from Oaxaca. Nafinsa Securities Inc., Toledo & Wolff, New York, NY, USA

1994 Grupo de los 16. Subasta, Mexico, D.F.

1993 Zwischen Tradition und Magie. Los Mexicanos and Galería Quetzalli. Hamburg, Germany

1993 Erbe und Gegenwart Maler aus Oaxaca. Los Mexicanos and Galena Quetzalli, Hamburg, Germany

1993 Miradas cruzadas. Museo Universitario del Chopo, UNAM, Mexico, D.F.

1993  Oaxaca, México, Oaxaca. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1992 Pintores de Oaxaca. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Oaxaca, Mexico

1992 Miradas comunes. Museo Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico

1992 Es tierra. Lankersheim Art Center, Los Angeles, CA. USA.

1991 Miradas cruzadas. Galería Alva de la Canal, Universidad Veracruzana, Jalapa, Ver., Mexico / Museo Universitario del Chopo, UNAM, Mexico, D.F

1990 Cinco pintores de Mexico. Bridge Gallery, Los Angeles, C. USA

1990 El hechizo de Oaxaca. Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico, D.F.

1989 Cinco en la mira. Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1988 Seis pintores. Casa de la Cultura de Puebla, Puebla. Mexico

1988 Vicios y virtudes de nuestro siglo. Festival del Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México, Mexico, D.F.

1988 Astrolabio, pintura mexicana, Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1998 El lector elector. Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Siete pintores de Oaxaca. Galería de Arte Alberto Misrachi, Mexico, D.F.

1986 El Sol y la Luna. Museo José Luis Cuevas, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Tercera Bienal de Pintura Rufino Tamayo, obra seleccionada, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico, D.F.

1985 Cuatro pintores, Galeria Varia, Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico

1984 El paisaje veracruzano. Contest. Galería de la Universidad Veracruzana, Jalapa, Ver., Mexico

Press

PRESS

Selected Artworks

El Paraiso es Azul | SOLD

El Paraiso es Azul | SOLD

Oil on Canvas

63 x 94 inches

23671

Dias de Lluvia

Dias de Lluvia

Oil on Canvas

47 x 71 inches

23481

Passage Convergente | SOLD

Passage Convergente | SOLD

Oil on Canvas

63 x 79 inches

23395

Irrupcion de Luz | SOLD

Irrupcion de Luz | SOLD

Oil on Canvas

71 x 94 inches

23394

Frontera | SOLD

Frontera | SOLD

Oil on Canvas

55 x 79 inches

23366

Estancia de luz

Estancia de luz

Oil on Canvas

63 x 118 inches

23364

Vuelta al dia | SOLD

Vuelta al dia | SOLD

Oil on Canvas

47 x 94 inches

23363

Long Day

Long Day

Oil on Canvas

55 x 79 inches

180620

Paisaje con Vestigios

Paisaje con Vestigios

Oil on Canvas

55 x 63 inches

071061

Alegria de Viento

Alegria de Viento

Oil on Canvas

63 x 55 inches

071058

The Threshold of Day

The Threshold of Day

Oil on Canvas

28 x 39 inches

040996

Prelude

Prelude

Oil on Canvas

39 x 47 inches

040995

Citadel

Citadel

Oil on Canvas

28 x 39 inches

040993

Lead - Like Landscape

Lead - Like Landscape

Oil on Canvas

39 x 47 inches

040991

Born

1950 Ixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.


Education

Architecture, The Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City.


Solo Exhibitions 

2023 The Light and the City (La Luz y la Ciudad). Casa de las Culturas Contemporáneas. ICSyH BUAP. Puebla, Mexico

2022 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Museo Taller Erasto Cortés. Puebla, Mexico

2021 The Residence of Light (Estancias de Luz). Galería Quetzalli. Oax. Mex.

2019 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca, Mexico

2019 The Shadow of Time (La Sombra del Tiempo). Il Brunitoio, Gallery and Workshop. Ghiffa, Italy

2017 Sculpture, "Diachrony" (Diacronía). Arronte Building. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Centro Histórico de Puebla, Mex.

2017  Eyes on the Ground (Mirar la Tierra). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Oax., México

2013 Sculpture, "Herald" (Heraldo). Gran Telescopio Milimétrico, Tliltepetl Sierra Negra. Puebla, Mex.

2010  Almanac: omens of time (Almanaque, presagios del tiempo). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

Territories (Territorios). Casa de la cultura oaxaqueña, Oaxaca, Mexico

2009  Almanac: omens of time (Almanaque, presagios del tiempo). Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez, Zacatecas, Mexico

2008  Graphic Work (Obra gráfica). Mexican Consulate, Frankfurt, Germany

2007  Obra reciente (Recent Work). Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA

2006  Wind and land (El viento y la tierra). Museo della stampa casa degli Stamparori Soncino, Soncino, Italy

2005  Constructions of the wind (Construcciones del viento). Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA

2003 Out on the open (A la intemperie). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

2002 Mural: A place of red ash stone (Lugar de rojo tezontle). Hilton Hotel Lobby, Centro Histórico, CDMX, Mexico

2002  Crossing of Winds (Travesía de los vientos). Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño, Puebla, Mexico

1999 The High Lands (Las tierras altas). Centro Cultural Tijuana, Tijuana, BC., México

1998 The High Lands (Las tierras altas). Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1997 Other graphs (Otra gráfica). Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición, Mexico, D.F. Mexico

1996 Houses and things (Las casas y las cosas). Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F. Mexico

1995 Maps from the Mixteca (Lienzos de la Mixteca). Galería Síntesis, Puebla, Mexico

1994 The wasted sea (El mar baldío). Scholarship "Arts International", Instituto Internacional de Educación. Instituto Cultural de México, New York, NY., USA

1993 Time and its places (El tiempo y sus lugares). Galería Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico.

1992 Luck or not (De todas suertes). Galeria Kin, Mexico. D.F.

1991 Stubborn memmory (Vestigios obstinados). Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1989 Obra reciente (Recent work). Galería Varia, Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico.

1987 Offerings and relics (Ofrendas y reliquias). Galería Frida Kahlo, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Days on the earth (Días terrenales). Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1984 The waters of the river (Las aguas del río). Exposición Itinerante, Tierra Adentro, INBA, Mexico, D.F.


Group Exhibitions

2023 Abierto/Open Bodega Quetzalli, Oaxaca, Mexico

2020 Zona Maco, CDMX, Mexico

2018 Native Lands, sketchs and papers (Tierra Nativa, Dibujos y Papeles). Palacete del Embarcadero, Santander, Spain

2016 Lula’a; matter and memory (Lula’a; materia y memoria). Instalación, José Villalobos, Luis Zárate y Rubén Leyva, Galería Metropolitana, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, CDMX, Mexico

2015 The natural laws of enthropy (Las leyes naturales de la entropía). Galería Metropolitana de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitna, Ciudad de México

2014 Oaxaca in Asia (Presencia de Oaxaca en Asia). National University Museum, South Korea

2013 9/9 Image workshop (9/9 Taller de imágenes). Taller de Fernando Sandoval, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2012  Thinking hand, Oaxacan sketch (Mano pensante, dibujo oaxaqueño), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2012 Dos miradas; Luis Zárate y José Villalobos. Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos, Puebla, Mexico

2010 Taller Gráfica Soruco. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2008 Paréntesis, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico

2008 El Cabildo, Centro Cultural de la República, Asunción, Paraguay / Instituto Cervantes, Sao Paulo, Brasil /Museo Emilio Caraffa de Córdoba, Argentina /

Museo de Arte Moderno, Bogotá, Colombia

2007 Arte contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Museo Casa Diego Rivera, Guanajuato, Mexico

2006  Arte contemporáneo oaxaqueño, exposición itinerante, Instituto Cultural de Mexico, Miami, Florida, USA / Casa de las Américas, La Habana, Cuba

2005 México Arte Contemporáneo. Feria de arte, Mexico, D.F.

2004  Oaxaca Tierra de Arte. Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, Collezioni dArte e di Storia San Giorgio in Poggiale, Italy

2003  Oaxaca Tierra de Arte, Palazzo Bricherasio, Torino, Italy

2002  Museo Taller Erasto Cortes. Puebla, Mexico

2001 Local and Foreign (Propios y extraños). Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca y Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño, Puebla, Mexico

2000 San Agustín 2000. Taller arte papel OAXACA, San Agustín Etla, México

2000 Fuera de mercado. Antiguo Palacio Federal, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

2000 Homenaje a Rufino Tamayo. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1999 Tiempo y lugar para todos. Centro Cultural de la Secretaria de Hacienda, Mexico, D.F.

1999 Pintores oaxaqueños. Instituto Cultural Mexicano de San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

1998 Imágenes y colores de Oaxaca. IPN, Mexico, D.F.

1998  Presencia de Oaxaca en Asia, Instituto Nacional de Educación, Tembi Gallery, Singapur, Indonesia

1997 Artistas Mexicanos. Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca. Mexico, Museo de Arte Metropolitano de Tokio, Japan

Governant Office Museum, Nagoya, Japan

City Museum, Osaka, Japan

City Museum, Kioto, Japan

1996 Nueve pintores oaxaqueños. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca. Oaxaca, México

1996 Quince artistas mexicanos. Itinerant Exhibit, Europe, supported by the Grupo de los 16 and FONCA. Casa de las Américas, Madrid, Spain

1996 Quince artistas mexicanos. Centro Cultural Mexicano, Paris, France.

1995 Opuestos y simultáneos: doce pintores. Casa Lamm y Galería Quetzalli, Mexico, D.F.

1995 Arte y alma de Oaxaca. Instituto Cultural Mexicano, Texas, USA

1994 Arte y alma de Oaxaca. Instituto Cultural Mexicano, Washington, D.C., USA

1994 Oaxaca, cuna del arte. Instituto Cultural Oaxaqueño, Washington, D.C., USA

1994 Hechizo de Oaxaca. Museo MARCO, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico

1994 Preparativos para el diluvio. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1994 Art from Oaxaca. Nafinsa Securities Inc., Toledo & Wolff, New York, NY, USA

1994 Grupo de los 16. Subasta, Mexico, D.F.

1993 Zwischen Tradition und Magie. Los Mexicanos and Galería Quetzalli. Hamburg, Germany

1993 Erbe und Gegenwart Maler aus Oaxaca. Los Mexicanos and Galena Quetzalli, Hamburg, Germany

1993 Miradas cruzadas. Museo Universitario del Chopo, UNAM, Mexico, D.F.

1993  Oaxaca, México, Oaxaca. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

1992 Pintores de Oaxaca. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Oaxaca, Mexico

1992 Miradas comunes. Museo Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico

1992 Es tierra. Lankersheim Art Center, Los Angeles, CA. USA.

1991 Miradas cruzadas. Galería Alva de la Canal, Universidad Veracruzana, Jalapa, Ver., Mexico / Museo Universitario del Chopo, UNAM, Mexico, D.F

1990 Cinco pintores de Mexico. Bridge Gallery, Los Angeles, C. USA

1990 El hechizo de Oaxaca. Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico, D.F.

1989 Cinco en la mira. Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1988 Seis pintores. Casa de la Cultura de Puebla, Puebla. Mexico

1988 Vicios y virtudes de nuestro siglo. Festival del Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México, Mexico, D.F.

1988 Astrolabio, pintura mexicana, Galería Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1998 El lector elector. Galeria Kin, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Siete pintores de Oaxaca. Galería de Arte Alberto Misrachi, Mexico, D.F.

1986 El Sol y la Luna. Museo José Luis Cuevas, Mexico, D.F.

1986 Tercera Bienal de Pintura Rufino Tamayo, obra seleccionada, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico, D.F.

1985 Cuatro pintores, Galeria Varia, Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico

1984 El paisaje veracruzano. Contest. Galería de la Universidad Veracruzana, Jalapa, Ver., Mexico

The abstract paintings of Jose Villalobos establish a dynamic tension through the interplay of opposites. The large, architectonic works feature solid forms that also appear evanescent, and areas of mass that are acted upon by a lively line or by drips of pigment. In a Villalobos painting fluidity tempers stability, foreground commingles with infinite space, light frames darkness, and warm colors are in dialogue with cool tones. Villalobos’s well-structured paintings unfold like musical compositions, with subtle relationships emerging slowly, working in concert with the initial impact of his biomorphic arches and openings and geometric debris.

The counterpoint of elements is energetic. Unified by the force of rhythms across the picture plane, shapes, forms and colors move at once out of depth and into space, left, right, up and down in ways that suggest flux or becoming. It is as if his abstractions exist only temporarily, and will change into some other configuration in the next moment, or will flow, like flotsam and jetsam, down the cosmic river.

Each Villalobos painting is a closed system of relationships, and this effect of elements working together from top to bottom and side-to-side, amounts to a visual journey undertaken by Villalobos—and the viewer—into a personal, interior place full of psychological portents.

The Oaxacan painter was trained as an architect at the Autonomous National University of Mexico and practiced this profession for years before the calling of painting was too loud to ignore. Villalobos has been influenced by Mexican modernist painters, including Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo, and uses the earth tones and soulful colors of primitive Mexican culture in his abstract vehicles. Since the early 1980s, Villalobos has exhibited in Mexico City and throughout Mexico.

Jose Villalobos
Biography

Press

"My work is an investigation of the visual resonances of the landscape. From what appears as chaos, spontaneous order emerges as a fleeting vestige of the meaning of life."

Jose Villalobos studied as an architect at the Autonomous National University of Mexico and practiced this profession for years before the calling of painting was too loud to ignore. Each Villalobos painting is a closed system of relationships, and this effect of elements working together from top to bottom and side-to-side, amounts to a visual journey undertaken by Villalobos—and the viewer—into a personal, interior place full of psychological portents.

Jose Villalobos

Villalobos' large, architectonic works feature solid forms that also appear evanescent, and areas of mass that are acted upon by a lively line or by drips of pigment.

"My work is an investigation of the visual resonances of the landscape. From what appears as chaos, spontaneous order emerges as a fleeting vestige of the meaning of life."

Jose Villalobos studied as an architect at the Autonomous National University of Mexico and practiced this profession for years before the calling of painting was too loud to ignore. Each Villalobos painting is a closed system of relationships, and this effect of elements working together from top to bottom and side-to-side, amounts to a visual journey undertaken by Villalobos—and the viewer—into a personal, interior place full of psychological portents.

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