Provenance: Artist’s Estate

ABOUT THE WORK

Despite his namesake, Jose V. Ayala Jr. remains an enigmatic, mysterious and almost quasi-religious figure within the canon of Philippine art. An award-winning writer and copy director by his mid-thirties, Ayala surprised many by seemingly abandoning his destined track in order to shift and pursue the visual arts in the 1960s. He was heavily influenced .friend and artist-colleague Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, who saw in him the ferocious creative spirit of a once-in-a-generation artist. Though Ayala was blessed with a relatively long life and a temperament for the arts, he rarely exhibited his works to the public nor did he mingle with the budding contemporary art scene of the 70s. Instead, he retreated inward, both physically, mentally and spiritually as he took up painting while tending to his agricultural business in Davao. In fact, due to his mystifying and peculiar disposition, Ayala’s works rarely saw wide acclaim outside of the art world. His artworks were reintroduced and revitalized to the public eye through a special exhibit at the annual Art Fair Philippines back in 2019. This reintroduction proved to be a successful one given the relative boost in interest on Ayala’s masterpieces. Nonetheless, his hermetic disposition only proved to enhance his craft. His paintings were considered one of the pioneering visions of the art scene at the time. His works point towards a seemingly endless abyss of creativity, lawless and untethered, and the limitless potential of the human mind to make sense of the beautiful absurdity. Upon viewing, Ayala’s works seemingly burst onto the scene, filling the senses with explosive and frenetic energy. But his masterful knowledge and sense of color, shape, and space tame his creations’ chaotic miasma into a tapestry of intricate and intimate design. It is undeniable that his universal, timeless and essential works of art will continue to inspire generations of artists from all walks of life, and from all dispositions.