302 Manny Valdez on Participatory Art, MFA Education, Institutional Critique & the Los Angeles Art World

Interdisciplinary artist Manny Valdez joins What's My Thesis? to discuss his participatory practice, recent projects, and experiences as an MFA graduate from Otis College of Art and Design. Drawing on performance, installation, screen printing, and artist participation, Valdez examines how artists construct identity, navigate institutional structures, and create opportunities within the contemporary Los Angeles art world. The conversation explores the realities of art education, grant applications, rejection, networking, retail labor, and teaching, alongside broader questions about artistic ambition, community, and sustaining a practice outside conventional career pathways. Throughout, Valdez reflects on the value of collaboration, resilience, and creating work that invites dialogue rather than certainty.