Provenance:
Sotheby's Hong Kong, Modern And Contemporary Southeast
Asian Paintings, Hong Kong, 5 October 2014, Lot 208

ABOUT THE WORK

The works of Alfred Esquillo are often seen as imaginative representations of Philippine social life, and by extension, the human condition as well. Born in 1972, Esquillo received his formal schooling in painting from the University of Santo Tomas’ College of Fine Arts. Early in his career, Esquillo adopted the language of the magical and social realists, creating works that heavily adhered to their aesthetic canon. But, as Esquillo’s craft progressed, so did the underlying philosophy that guided his works. Esquillo’s works evolved from mere aestheticizations of scenes, to works that are inherently animated by contemporary culture, history, and identity. This newfound direction did not only inform his works, but allowed him to utilize a variety of religious, historical, and popular iconography as a way of disseminating with and engaging in critique. Though most of his works often revolve around themes relating to the post-colonial Filipino condition, Esquillo has proven that he is more than adept in handling more general and universal concepts relating to humanity as a whole.