DIEGO VILLALTA

SPACE 2

Exhibition Dates : 17 February - 1 March 2026
Opening Reception : Wed 18 February 2026, 6:00 - 8:30pm

CODED IN CLAY AND SKY

Through my art, I strive to breathe life into the past, using oils to create portraits and scenes inspired by the rich and endangered cultures of indigenous peoples from El Salvador and Central America. I blend aspects of historical texts with conversations and insights from the remaining members of these communities. This fusion of sources allows me to create modern-style portrayals of what these peoples might have looked like in pre-colonial contexts, as well as some contemporary interpretations of old myths.
My aim is to offer a fresh perspective on their enduring beauty and significance, creating a bridge between the past and the present for wider audiences.

CODED IN CLAY AND SKY - Clay represents the tangible, the earth, people, art, and civilisations. Sky symbolises the divine, the spiritual, and the vastness of mythology that stretches beyond the earthly realm.

Diego Villalta is a Salvadoran-born, multidisciplinary artist working from Naarm/Melbourne. He migrated to Australia as a child as part of a large cohort of refugees fleeing the Salvadorian civil war (1979-1992).
He is a full-time performing musician, completing a Bachelor of Music Performance with Honours at the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne) while concurrently developing his skills and techniques as a visual artist in a self-taught manner.
Diego lives and works in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, surrounded by the energy of the city and the dynamism of its creative scene.