.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Critically acclaimed contemporary Filipino painter Rodel Tapaya's works depict piercing social commentaries on contemporary life. Winner of the prestigious 2011 APB-Signature Art Prize, the heart of Rodel Tapaya's work is his on-going amalgamation of folk narrative and contemporary reality within the framework of memory and history. His utilization of faces of ancient demi-gods and other archetypal heroes reference an era lost in the murk beyond history. Tapaya's unique ability to depict primeval figures in a contemporaneous manner sheds light into his artistic thought process, and his paintings reflect the artist's interpretation of the reality he experiences.
Untitled (Lot 210) and Olivia (Lot 211) epitomize Tapaya's portrayal of this mystical universe, depicting a ubiquitous face-mask of folk-aesthetic often seen throughout his compositions, juxtaposed against a forested background woven through with magical flora and fauna. For the viewer, they are enigmatic adventures; a rare glimpse into an oft-too-hidden parallel landscape and only visible through Tapaya's conjured visions. The vivid depictions of greenery and animalistic creatures help fuse the past and the present together, emerging with a familiar, yet uniquely enticing promise for the future. The appeal of Tapaya's work is that his personal style is never grudging despite his content. His palette allows a certain double take - society's filth and desperation becomes visually attractive and very humorous in the panache and most vivid of colours. Assertive as they are, his works are not linear, dismal thread of preachy narratives. Instead, Tapaya manages to infuse in his paintings the suspense among the spectrum of society's individuals. His use of foliage within the composition and other forms of perspective-distortions achieve an original visual form - from the mutant-hodgepodge of its characters to its subtle narrative threads. As much as the layers and faces of the power-hungry are confined within a frame, the rich conglomeration of elements still permits a continuous expansion of the potential of the subject of his painting to be more than just a mere commentary.
Untitled (Lot 210) and Olivia (Lot 211) epitomize Tapaya's portrayal of this mystical universe, depicting a ubiquitous face-mask of folk-aesthetic often seen throughout his compositions, juxtaposed against a forested background woven through with magical flora and fauna. For the viewer, they are enigmatic adventures; a rare glimpse into an oft-too-hidden parallel landscape and only visible through Tapaya's conjured visions. The vivid depictions of greenery and animalistic creatures help fuse the past and the present together, emerging with a familiar, yet uniquely enticing promise for the future. The appeal of Tapaya's work is that his personal style is never grudging despite his content. His palette allows a certain double take - society's filth and desperation becomes visually attractive and very humorous in the panache and most vivid of colours. Assertive as they are, his works are not linear, dismal thread of preachy narratives. Instead, Tapaya manages to infuse in his paintings the suspense among the spectrum of society's individuals. His use of foliage within the composition and other forms of perspective-distortions achieve an original visual form - from the mutant-hodgepodge of its characters to its subtle narrative threads. As much as the layers and faces of the power-hungry are confined within a frame, the rich conglomeration of elements still permits a continuous expansion of the potential of the subject of his painting to be more than just a mere commentary.