Resonant Valley

May 12–November 26, 2023

José Montoya’s Resonant Valley is an intimate retrospective of José Montoya’s visual art and poetry, featuring a collection of over 700 works on paper and personal items reflecting his connections to California’s Central Valley. Stretching from the Sacramento Valley to the Tulare Basin, the Central Valley was home to Montoya for much of his life, continuously influencing his work and setting the stage for an observant storyteller creating vibrant landscapes and a scrappy but tailor-made cast of characters. 

Resonant Valley was curated by Tony Carranza, Carissa García and Richard Montoya, who presented the life and work of José Montoya in 4 directions—beginning with his roots in the San Joaquin Valley and of his childhood home and his own home in Fowler, then into row after row of the prolific and abundant harvest of a lifetime’s worth of artistic production, from there you enter a sacred portal into José’s spirituality and inner self connecting with humor, healing, and the locura of life. Finally, Montoya’s influence and activism takes root in the Community Gallery through an interactive map tracing his memory, impact, and connections to the Central Valley.   

—Written by Carissa García 

GALLERY