When Sheila happened upon Xavier Nuez’s booth at the St. Louis Art Fair, she immediately recognized Alleys and Ruins as the inspirational backdrop she was seeking for UAct’s website. A brief conversation led to Xavier’s gracious approval to use his photography on the site. The results speak for themselves.

Xavier Nuez’s photographs have been featured in solo and group exhibitions in museums and galleries internationally, including the Illinois State Museum in Chicago, IL; the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in California; the Attleboro Art Museum in Massachusetts; the San Diego Art Institute; and Galerie Lichtblick in Cologne, Germany.

His work is in numerous public, corporate and private collections, including those of the University of Richmond Museum in Virginia; the University of Michigan; the Norfolk Southern Collection; the Vicente Fox Center Library and Museum in Guanajuato, Mexico; Mr. Danny DeVito; and Ms. Angela Lansbury.

Xavier’s family is from Spain; he was born in Montreal and lives in Chicago.

In an article for the New York Times, writer Corey Killigan says Nuez’s  “fascination with blighted locales was sparked during childhood, while playing in allyways and hearing his father talk about growing up homeless as a child.”

In The Midnight Playground, Louise Byo quotes Nuez about Alleys and Ruins: “The images are a celebration of life but they are photographs of fearful places. They are beautiful and repulsive; they inspire joy and dread; they are both calm and on edge; scenes of extreme contrast with bright colors and dark shadows.” Also included on the UAct website are Photos from Nuez’ Light Painting Series.

UAct is proud to feature these award-winning photographs. Photographs courtesy of Xavier Nuez. Go to  www.nuez.com to enjoy all of his work.