Contemporary Filipino art is hot right now. Several young talents have emerged in recent years and they are getting some serious attention. A fine example is the record setting sale of Ronald Ventura's "Nesting Ground" at Sotheby's October 2008 auction in Hong Kong which sold for more than 10 times the pre-sale estimate. A signal, perhaps, that despite the current economic gloom, collectors are ready and willing to spend on exceptional work.
A show opening this coming December, here in Singapore features two rising stars of Philippine art who are creating buzz of their own: Eufemio Rasco IV and Jaspher Penuliar. These friends and former classmates are graduates of the University of Philippines College of Fine Arts. Still only in their twenties, both have developed unique styles that have resonated with art enthusiasts both at home and around the region.
Rasco's first big overseas success came in early 2007 when his "White, Red, Black" triptych was auctioned in Singapore. Since then he has become an auction regular here and his striking compositions have become easily identifiable. Penuliar, meanwhile, has had a slow and steady track to recognition and over the past two years, Larasati, Borobudur and Masterpiece auction houses have all successfully sold his works.
Both Rasco and Penuliar favor highly realistic, figurative subject matter - they both produce pieces that are uncannily life-like. Their paths to achieving this realism though, could not be more different. Rasco's style is best described as bold. His brushwork is heavy and deliberate and there is a strong sense of confidence in his strokes. Rasco has described himself as rather quiet and reserved but alludes to his works as a true representation of his inner-self. Penuliar's pieces, on the other hand, are painted with a flawless delicacy. His brushwork is incredibly fine, with colors that are beautifully blended to give a seemingly effortless finish. These differing styles serve each of the two men well in complimenting their artistic aims.
Rasco's works are all about impact. His signature subject - a nude woman draped in a single piece of colored cloth - is far from subtle. His pieces are highly emotional and they evoke strong feelings, both good and bad, from his audiences. Questions immediately arise when one is confronted with one of his pieces. Is the work about sensuality or vulnerability? Is the woman powerful or powerless? Does she represent one woman or women in general? Rasco's more recent 'hooded figure' pieces are equally bold. He plays with perspective and places his figures in seemingly impossible positions, as if they were falling or were suspended unnaturally in mid-air. His strong brushwork serves to further the edginess of his themes.
Penuliar's works are thematically broader in range. He shows greater variety in his compositions and his pieces are more steeped in social commentary. "The Giver", for instance, depicts a young well-dressed boy reaching out to hand a handkerchief to a dirty, half-naked, miserable looking man. At first glance, the piece evokes themes of poverty, social class and charity. However, looking at it for some time gives rise to a whole host of deeper ideas. Choosing to represent wealth through the young boy is an interesting choice. Also, the boy is positioned so that though he is much smaller than the man, he is looking down on him. These subtle choices make the work multi-layered and open to interpretation. Again, the artist's painterly style nicely compliments the issues that he deals with.
Ceasefire is a two-man show featuring new works by Eufemio Rasco IV and Jaspher Penuliar. Ceasefire opens at Galerie Joaquin Singapore on Friday 12th December 2008. For more information, email us
