Provenance: : Liongoren Gallery, Quezon City

ABOUT THE WORK

THE DOCK WORKERS OF DAVAO PAINTED BY THE FIRST MODERNIST, VICTORIO EDADES Heralded as the “Father of Philippine Modern Art”, Victorio Edades’ works signified an epochal shift within the canons of Filipino art. By introducing modern ideas into the Philippine art scene, Edades managed to revolutionize the conventions of Filipino art by broadening the possibilities of artistic practice and aesthetic value beyond the likes of the Classical and Traditional schools of art. His defiance to what the Conservatives structured as “art” was a conscious call for real artistic expression. Thus, his pieces were in stark opposition to the bright, nostalgic, and idyllic scenes that pervaded the hegemonic artistic canon. His pieces often featured roughly constructed figures of laborers burdened by the realities of their work. He attested that “art is ever the expression of man’s emotion, and not a mere photographic likeness of nature.” To express his individual emotion, the artist is privileged to create in that distinctive form that best interprets his own experience. To quote curator Ditas Samson: “What was the first exposure of Filipino artists to modernism? Aside from photographs from Life magazine and conversations with each other, it had to be from the works of Victorio Edades.” Although he was born in Bolosan, Pangasinan, Edades would retire with his family to Davao City in 1962; and would live there, continuing to paint until his death.