Xesús M. Méndez Padín Vilalonga

Category: Sculptor
Birth Date: 13th December 1965
Birth Place: Vilalonga (Pontevedra)
 Curriculum

He began to know the stone in 1979 at the same time he started painting with Rogelio Lorenzo.
In the first years he focussed on painting almost exclusively but Manolo Paz showed him how to immerse in the shapes and rhythms of stone. This experience made him start a journey searching for his identity as a stonemason and sculptor.
Xesús finds his references in classicism and reconstructs a human landscape sleeping in history and mythology.
Since 1988 he has combined his artistic production with his teaching activity giving classes of stone sculpture and modelling at several training centres.
From 1995 to 2006 he gave classes at the Stonemasonry School of Poio.
In the last years he focussed on vocational training for adults and intervention in inner spaces, collaborating with his friends and sculptors Tania Rodríguez and Carlos Salas.

 Work & Activities

EXHIBITIONS
1981 and 1982: Collective exhibition (Poio).
1983: Collective exhibition (Baiona) and “Novos Valores”, Biennial Exhibition (Pontevedra).
1984: Collective exhibition, St Martín Pinario (Santiago), exhibition in Sanxenxo, “Novos Valores”, “Identidade e Arte” (Pontevedra), 4th Sculpture Contest, Alcobendas (Madrid), “Identidade e Arte”, Museum of Vigo and Bicentenary Art Exhibition, San Eloy (Salamanca).
1985: Caja de Pontevedra Exhibition.
1987: ‘Técnicas de Impresión’ (Vigo).
1993: Collective exhibition (Tui) and Pintor Laxeiro First Biennial Exhibition.
1994: FEC Exhibition (A Estrada).
1995: Pintor Laxeiro Second Biennial Exhibition and exhibition at Rivas Briones Gallery (Vilagarcía).
1996: Exhibition at the gallery of the Town Council of O Porriño.
1997: Área Central (Santiago).
1998: Collective exhibition, Área Central (Santiago).
1999: Collective exhibition, Borrón 4 Gallery (Cambados) and Millenium (Santiago).
2000: Borrón 4 Gallery (Cambados).
2001: José Lorenzo Gallery (Santiago).
2004: “Escultura Arquitectónica?”, Narón (A Coruña) and exhibition at Pardo Bazán Gallery (Sanxenxo).
2005: Emsambla Gallery (Pontevedra) and “12 Diálogos”, José Lorenzo Gallery (Santiago).
2006: Campo de las Redes Gallery (Redondela), José Lorenzo Gallery (Santiago) and ‘Sala de Arte’ (Redondela).
2007: “Arte Solidario”, José Lorenzo Gallery (Santiago).
2008: Collective exhibition, DBuxo Gallery (Arcade), "Xéneros" (Redondela) and Borrón 4 Gallery (Cambados).

 Other Interesting Aspects

WORK IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:
United Kingdom.
Germany: Sttutgart and Frankfurt.
Spain: Santiago, Vigo, Valencia, Murcia and Madrid.

PUBLIC WORK:
-Ofelia Nieto Memorial in Santa Justa (Seville).
-Poet Acuña Memorial in Poboa de Trives (Ourense).
-Homage to the Volunteer in Sanxenxo (Pontevedra).