The Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) of Raleigh, North Carolina, presents ‘The Nature of Things’, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Anna Valdez. A visit of the exhibition feels like taking a step into a colorful yet familiar world. An immersive installation and large paintings in bright colors show compositions of house plants, shells, animal skulls, quilts and vases. Maximalist art is usually not my preferred art style and yet Valdez intrigues with her compositions and repetitions. Why does her artwork stand out – even to minimal art lovers?

The exhibition statement of ‘The Nature of Things’ describes that ‘the paintings and ceramics depict maximalist compositions of still life arrangements that seek to explore object-making and how objects form a tapestry of visual history, both contemporary and historical’. The creation process of Valdez starts with a careful orchestration of items that she owns, including rocks, houseplants, shells, bouquets, taxidermized birds, vases, books, textiles… As such she designs contemporary versions of cabinets of curiosity in her studio. The objects reappear in different compositions and combinations throughout her work. Therefore, each painting has its own story to tell, yet interacts with the other artworks of the exhibition.

The multiplicities in her artwork encourage the visitors to reconsider the meaning of reality and representation. How an object is depicted has a direct impact on its perception. Especially the ceramic vase seems to coexist in parallel worlds. Not only are they displayed as an image in the paintings but Valdez introduces them into reality through her ceramic crafts. Or did Valdez create the ceramic vases first and then merely captured them into the paintings?

Noteworthy, Valdez her artwork does not only picture the objects of her own collection but also landscapes. Valdez captures landscapes from national parks or botanical gardens in sketches and photographs. She incorporates them in paintings and imagery onto ceramic vases. Her work connects still life and landscape painting.

Valdez deliberately chooses for a large format of the paintings. Evidently the size helps the visitor to feel immersed in the visual language and world created by Valdez. The artist states that the physicality of working at a large scale inspires her. Valdez needs to move in multiple directions to complete the paintings resulting in different brush strikes depending on her position. In a way the painting process becomes a performance.

At first glance ‘The Nature of Things’ seems to be a straightforward exhibition with large, colorful paintings and recognizable items. The unexpected layers and repetitions in the artworks result in a complexity that captivates the visitor. Valdez documents her own life, surroundings, the contemporary culture and traditions. She breaks with conventional perspectives of place and time whilst using traditional imagery as still life and ceramics.