Ep. 6: Kiki Valdés — An Artist’s Story of Grit, Culture & Reinvention

In this episode, Topper sits down with painter Kiki Valdés, whose journey through the art world has been anything but linear. Born to Cuban parents and raised between Miami and New Jersey, Kiki discovered drawing as a refuge—an early lifeline in classrooms where he struggled to read but excelled at making images that spoke louder than words.Kiki shares how comic books, cartoons, and the chaos of 90s Miami shaped his early style, and how mentors—from public school teachers to art-world icons like Kenny Scharf—helped him recognize painting as his life’s direction. He opens up about navigating a Miami art scene defined by gatekeeping, the surreal chapter of painting live in nightclubs to survive, and the twists of fate—like a landlord who collected his work instead of rent—that led to his first New York show at the National Arts Club.Topper and Kiki explore the deeper emotional landscape behind his work: the darkness that crept into early paintings, the humor he later embraced, and how smoke, nature, and memory began to populate the canvases. They also dive into the bigger questions:What is the art market really? How does an artist “make it”? How do you avoid losing your voice to trends, gatekeepers, or commercial pressure?This conversation is raw, human, and inspiring—a story of grit, culture, reinvention, and an unwavering dedication to making art on one’s own terms. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com