ABOUT THE WORK

Living in Antipolo City, Rizal, Tam Austria is considered as one of the more prominent members of the Lakeshore Artists whose sensibility and manner of technical execution was greatly influenced by the National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco. While Austria’s figuration seems to nod at the influence of Botong, the artist has evolved his own style and innovation that have resulted in well-organized, poetic tableaus of genre scenes. In this work, “Harvest,” a heightened sense of drama is evoked by the central figure as he magisterially holds aloft a winnowing basket, which appears to be an almost perfect disc, like a sun blessing the earth. Around him are the supporting figures doing their own respective acts of labor as a community ushering a season of harvest and grace.