Ecuadorian artist Beto Valencia, better known on social media as Beto Val, began his journey into the world of collage almost by accident. Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, from his small studio in Quito, this artist stumbled upon a vast collection of vintage illustrations in the public domain, which he started experimenting with and creating his initial works.
This served as therapy to counter the stress of his daily work. Before long, he realized that his imagination was filled with surreal beings and scenes that needed to come to life, and he found collage to be the perfect medium for this. Gradually, this pastime transformed into an almost obsessive pursuit for the artist, who ended up dedicating up to 3 to 4 hours daily to exploring and crafting new pieces.
Beto Val’s collages immerse us in a surreal world teeming with absurd and eccentric beings, yet in some way, they feel familiar, and their existence is not only possible but necessary. From “Wild Aristocracy” to “Amazing Machines” or creatures from an Imaginary Animal Kingdom, everything is possible in the mind of this creator who skillfully combines vintage collage techniques with photo retouching.
Beto Val crafts his own universe that resists confining itself to a single theme or style. His realm is one of exploration, play, and amusement in all its expressions, where each new collage suggests a world completely distinct from the previous one, yet all bear the unmistakable hallmark of the artist.
His great work of vintage surrealism has been recognized with projects in various countries such as the United States, Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, among others.
His expertise in graphic design and advertising has also enabled him to conquer new realms of imagination, which is evident in the diverse array of works showcased on his website, capturing the best and most absurd aspects of his digital creations.
