Raluca Harabagiu Updated on Feb 11, 2026 5 min read

Between color and identity: a conversation with Coco Dávez

An inspiring conversation that will spark your curiosity about how to pursue your dreams.

I've always had this thing for women whom I believe somehow change the world through their job, business, or lifestyle. I think we look a bit superficially at women's work without understanding the real impact they have on society.

For instance, the conversation today with the Spanish artist Coco Dávez (Valeria Palmeiro) is one of the best examples I can offer to you.

Combining intuition with colour psychology, Valeria creates striking portraits that invite the audience to finish the story. Beyond galleries, she has collaborated with international brands like Prada, Vogue, Chanel, and Netflix and hosts the intimate podcast Participantes para un Delirio. Her work combines creativity, self-expression, and a fearless embrace of colour.

**on the streets of Estepona, discovering** **Coco Dávez****'s exhibition "****Faceless"**

Why do I believe Valeria is shaping the society through her work? Well, we need beauty, colour, and any form of artistic expression and creativity, even if we work in fields not directly related to creativity. But we need it in our lives. We need bold women who go after their dreams beyond everything that might keep them behind.

I'm grateful to have spoken with Valeria, who inspires me in so many ways.

Valeria Palmeiro

I discovered you on the streets of Estepona thanks to your exhibition Faceless, and I immediately fell in love with your vibrant and one-of-a-kind style. Tell me, how did your journey in art begin, and how did you discover your unique style?

I always drew, and I’ve always been very observant. But my real journey began when I stopped trying to "do it right" and started doing it my way.

Faceless was born by chance, as a mistake in a portrait back in 2015. By removing the face, something much more powerful appeared: identity through colour and silhouette.

Faceless helped me realise where I felt comfortable and liked myself, and in a way, I began creating the universe that surrounds me today.

Why did you choose "Coco Dávez" as your artistic name?

When I was 15, I played with inventing a pseudonym. I chose "Coco" in honour of Super Coco from Sesame Street, a character I loved. It also gave me a name that could belong to either a man or a woman, which I thought might open more doors than arriving as Valeria."Dávez" was also invented; it doesn’t really exist, but it sounded Latin, which I wanted to keep.

Now, at 36, I reclaim my real name, Valeria Palmeiro, and I love it. Coco Dávez is now a project.

Your Faceless series is fascinating. What inspired you to create portraits without faces, and what do you aim to convey?

The first Faceless was meant to be a portrait of Patti Smith, inspired by reading Just Kids. It didn’t turn out well, so I erased her face. In that act of removing, I realised that we recognise people by more than their features, by their energy, style, and atmosphere.

Faceless is about how we remember and how we look. The viewer completes the portrait with their memory.

Colour is central to both your work and your personal style. How do you choose your palettes, and what role does intuition play?

I choose colours based on my mood or sometimes to shift my mood, depending on the idea of a project or the personality of the person I’m portraying. There’s an intuitive side and a carefully studied side. I'm fascinated by colour psychology. It seems you’ve stopped running from colouring yourself!

How has Instagram influenced your career?

It’s been a gallery open to the world 24/7.

Instagram has allowed me to show my work without intermediaries and connect with people everywhere. In recent years, it’s also taught me to protect my process from the frantic rhythm of the internet.

What is life like as an artist in today’s AI-driven world?

I live it with curiosity. I use AI as just another tool. I deeply believe that manual and digital processes don’t compete; they enrich each other.

You’ve collaborated with brands like Prada, Vogue, Chanel, Netflix, LOEWE, and Dior. What impact have these partnerships had on your creative journey?

Brands have helped me understand that my visual language can exist in many formats without losing its essence. At the same time, it can merge with other worlds and aesthetics.

Do you have a favourite project or collaboration?

My favourite in recent years has been my podcast, Participantes para un Delirio. It’s my most personal project, the one that has allowed me to share a side of myself and explore ideas with others. I also think it’s the most intimate.

Could you please share more details about your podcast? How did it start, and what does it mean to you?

I’ve always loved radio and dreamed about having my show. After the distance created by the pandemic, I needed to connect with people and have conversations, without rushing, in a personal space. The podcast is a place to talk about creativity, processes, and life in general, born from the desire to listen and to share questions rather than answers.

What about your 1:1 mentoring service? Who is it for?

I work with people who want to reconnect with themselves, explore creativity, or launch a project. Also with those who feel blocked, stuck, or in crisis. Through mentoring, I help organise their universe: identity, narrative, direction, and purpose. It’s deep work: listening, self-knowledge, and creative strategy.