Jorge A. Valdes (JAVA), born in1956, is a Cuban American self-taught artist living in New York since 1992. His use of found objects & broken china traces back to his youth in Cuba as a resourceful solution to the scarcity of supplies. In 1992, JAVA moved to Miami where in reaction to the abundance, unwanted material became even more subjective and magical. In reaction to the glitz, he created a series of found object sculptures featured in Miami Beach. Leaving unclaimed whatever didn't sell, he rushed to NYC to complete his Masters in Education at Columbia University and immerse himself in the world of art. As a teacher, he continued his creations with recyclable materials. It has become his passion and identity, in response to the reality of an epoch when the preservation of the planet is vital. JAVA takes to heart that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
