Melvis Matos, Expressionist Artist from Bahoruco

Melvis Matos was born in December, 1970, in Villa Jaragua, a city off the northeast section of Lake Enriquillo, in the Bahoruco province of the Dominican Republic. The town was began its history as Barbacoa, but was renamed Villa Trujillo Valdéz after the Dictator's father. n 1961, its name was changed to Villa Jaragua.

A graduate of the National School of Fine Arts; Matos' inspirations include artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Willem de Kooning.

Throughout his career, Melvis Matos has participated in several solo and collective exhibitions at the national and international levels.

His work has been recognized in several art contest in the Dominican Republic, including; First Prize and two honorable mentions of the National Contest of Young Artist, Casa de Teatro, in 1999, and the Critics Award for the Best First Individual Exhibition granted by the Dominican Association of Art Critics, in 2001.