Through a fertile association with Lisbon’s English Theatre community, Valentin was a familiar enough figure behind the scenes for actors to allow his intimate invasion with a camera. The result was a stylised and timeless collection of two hundred fascinating backstage images capturing actors in preparation before and between scenes on a performance night. The collection was published as Melted Into Air.
In 2015 Valentin brought his photography closer in terms of subject to his paintings. Compiling a list of deities from ancient Greek mythology, he set about portraying the spirit that each represents and publishing them as a collection entitled A Hundred Mortals. With emotional projection a key model requirement, he mainly chose to shoot with actors under his direction.
Striking Coins was an initiative by Italian erotic filmmakers Impudens, to create content for virtual reality site Second Life. In collaboration with director Luca Cattaneo and musician Piero Arancia, Valentin expressed his exploration of sex and sexuality through micro-shorts of music, film and poetry.
Filmed at Valentin's casa-estudio in Valencia, Spain La Nevera Triptych is an expressionist montage that portrays a troubled artist seeking to unburden his anguish and start a fresh life. Rendered in similar style to his photographic work, the original 40 minute version received its debut public screening at London's Shortwave Cinema in Bermondsey.
Developing the format of his earlier 'micro-short' film work with Impudens, Pain My Portrait served as the vehicle for Valentin to explore the relationship between his art, music, image making and poetry.
'Lament' from La Nevera Triptych [2025 treatment]
Valentin's expressionistic shorts led to a fruitful collaboration with Portuguese cinematographer Francisco D. Oliveira and his company Lab Rat Studios. Together they produced experimental music videos and a series of arthouse portrait documentaries including The Woman, The Machine and Art Without Turmoil - the latter of which featured at London’s premier ShortCutz film festival.