Manila Contemporary and The Crucible Gallery is proud to present the latest solo show by National Artist Arturo Luz. Juxtaposing forty new paintings and twenty never before seen vintage photographs, the exhibition showcases Luz’s command of form, design and passion for inventiveness. His highly recognizable style of line, geometry and shape unfolds across works inspired by temple architecture from the artist’s travels across Asia, as well as recurring favourites such as musicians and performers. However, audiences will also experience for the first time, a series of rare still life photographs taken in 1993. Printed in 2012, after the negatives were kept in storage for twenty years, they reveal Luz’s keen interest in photography and admiration of Japanese design. Photographed using a Hasselblad camera, each black and white image features arrangements of Japanese kiri boxes (storage boxes for ceramics made out of kiri wood) and seashells from Luz’s personal collection of objects. Like his paintings they are deceptively simple, and represent the artist’s never ending search for the essential qualities of subject through a reduction of form and selective use of colour.

Creating a focused conversation around form and aesthetics, the exhibition therefore shares the unique vision and never ending pursuit of perfection by on the most respected senior Filipino artists working today.

Image: © Arturo Luz, Manila Contemporary