Odette Valero

OV artisticdrive The name “OV” is an abbreviation of the artist´s name Odette Valero, while the name “artistic drive” represents what life represents to the artist (life=art).

OV is a Mexican-Canadian artist who was born and raised in Mexico City. In 2010, OV became a Canadian citizen and settled there, after living in other countries (incl. Australia, China, France, the UK, etc.)

OV’s creative vision is inspired by the crossover between cultures.

“My journey as an artist truly began in 2010 while I was away from my home town Mexico. I was living abroad; when I discovered my love for cultures and their discursive practices ( some may say “cultures in action”, “folkart” etc.).

Stylistically my art is best described as “Symbolic Art”. and/or ” FolkArt” My art is intentionally imbued with a strong sense of metaphorical and cultural meaning and is suffused with symbolic content. There is a deliberate attempt to invest the image with layers of meaning while having an immediate subjective or emotional impression.

The majority of my work falls into one or another series of related paintings, which share common themes and symbols. In general terms, my art actively seeks to engage people in examining important issues. I address the topics of personal and cultural loss. Instead of speaking out words, I pursue a visual dialogue. Through colour, line, and visual form, I express deeply felt concerns regarding removal, disturbance, and the struggle to reclaim cultural context.

We need to understand and appreciate many cultures, establish relationships with people from cultures other than our own, and build strong alliances with different cultural groups. If we do not learn about the influences that cultural groups have had on our mainstream history and culture, we are all missing out on an accurate view of our society and our communities.

As a folk artist, I explore issues of identity and culture, including the dynamics of personal and cultural transformation. Over the years I have used a visual vocabulary consisting of images and symbols drawn from my cultural heritage, personal life experiences and contemporary culture. The underlying principles that inform my art include tribal oral histories, maps, art historical references, and nature. Through visual narrative, I explore how my point of view relates to a historical, political and cultural sense of place in contemporary society. The use of narrative in my work acts as a continuation of my personal history. Sense of place, which is a primary concept explored in my work, can be interpreted in many ways. Place of origin describes the physical landscape where one lives originated. Mythological place transcends physical place and describes the timeless spiritual or mythic origin where stories begin and civilizations emerge. History has left its mark on the land, creating a place where political and cultural boundaries define our identities. As a child, maps (Faces) fascinated me because they were complex symbols for places I had yet to know. Maps, through symbolic representation, define boundaries and landmarks of the place we identify as home. Maps instantly broaden my point of view, from a strictly personal recognition of place embracing cultural context and history. Maps also have been used deceptively to create false borders and they work to rewrite history. Through the layering of visual images that seem to coexist without any clear hierarchical order, I begin to convey a non-linear sense of time. As these images freely mingle between the past and present, they become a metaphor for the experiences I encounter when I am at home in Mexico, travelling across ancestral lands in several countries, participating in cultural rituals and just simply living.

The purpose of my art is to show and reflect upon life experiences to help us better understand ourselves and others; and to explore the inevitability of change. By channelling emotions, experiences, beauty, and awareness into my artwork, serves as a stepping stone to long-term transformation, personal growth and the well-being of myself and others who interact with and enjoy my art”. – OVartisticdrive

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