Rachel Valdés Cuba, b. 1990

Overview
"I am interested in creating settings that foster a dialogue—whether visual or spiritual—between the self, the object, and the surrounding space. Through these scenarios, I aim to offer alternative perceptual versions of existing reality. The experience of seeing oneself reflected within an environment deeply fascinates me. I believe that repetition or reflection of an element evokes a contemplative act—a reflection on both the past and present—like a materialization of the passage of time. For me, these resulting settings become a kind of new landscape: liminal, mystical places that appear infinite."
 
Rachel Valdés
Rachel Valdés (b. 1990, Havana, Cuba) is a visual artist known for her immersive installations, paintings, and public art. Working between Havana and Barcelona, her practice explores perception, reflection, and the relationship between the viewer, space, and reality. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including in Times Square, and is part of major collections across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
Biography
© RACHEL VALDÉS
© RACHEL VALDÉS

Rachel Valdés is a visual artist based between Havana and Barcelona, Spain. A graduate of the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts, she specializes in painting but works across various media, including photography, Land Art, public interventions, and large-scale immersive installations.

Her art explores perception, materiality, and interaction with space, often incorporating mirrors, glass, stainless steel, and polycarbonate to create sensory experiences that connect the viewer to both their environment and themselves.

A central theme of her work is “immersive art and expanded perception,” aiming to bridge the tangible and intangible through transformative environments. One of her most iconic pieces, The Beginning of the End (2016), was exhibited in Times Square, New York, attracting over two million viewers.

Valdés has participated in numerous international biennials and fairs. Key works include:

  • Happily Ever After (Havana Biennial 2012): A minimalist mirrored installation along the Malecón.

  • Blue Cube (2015): Described by historian Eusebio Leal as "a sapphire that belongs to the city," it became a landmark of public art in Havana.

  • Infinite Composition (2015–2016): An immersive experience with color, light, and sound.

  • Immersion (2019): Acquired as part of Havana’s cultural heritage.

Her works are part of prestigious collections, including the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, Donald Rubin Foundation, Gary Nader Sculpture Park, and others across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.

Valdés has received major awards and grants, enabling her to undertake public art projects in Utah and at the Vermont Studio Center in the U.S.