Sidekick
dated 1965
acrylic on canvas
12" x 57" (30 cm x 145 cm)


PROVENANCEGraham Gallery New York



Leo Valledor was undoubtedly ahead of his time. Not only was he a seminal member of Park Place, but his novel approach to abstraction also paved the way for a new kind of modern art. Valledor received a scholarship to the California School of Fine Arts, which opened up new artistic horizons for him and eventually led him to New York City, where he fell in love with abstract art. Park Place Gallery, where Valledor exhibited, was groundbreaking in its approach, showcasing paintings and sculptures together, contrary to the more conservative Madison Avenue galleries. The gallery's large spaces encouraged the creation of expansive artworks and interactions with other art forms like music and poetry.Valledor's profound understanding of color theory, optics, and dimensional illusion, combined with his use of shaped canvases, enabled him to create artworks that actively interacted with the viewing space. Valledor's work resonated with the emerging style of color-field and minimalist art. His distinctive approach involved inventive manipulation, taking on audiences on an aesthetic experience that was truly unique and novel for his time. (Jed Daya)