Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

Provenance: Lopez Museum Gallery

ABOUT THE WORK

Michael Cacnio’s Children at Play Series encapsulates the simple and unbridled joys of our childhood. “As a happy person and as an artist, you can see that in my work. I want it to have the power to move and inspire you,” says Cacnio in a 2014 Philippine Star article titled “Michael Cacnio’s life in brass.” In this piece from the artist’s Palipad (Children at Play Series), Cacnio depicts a boy playing with his kite, all the while gazing amazingly and ecstatically at how his kite has seemingly breathed a life of its own and flew off the vast expanse of the skies. Cacnio’s distinct brand of social realism is one that does not shy away from depicting the simple joys of living, be it in urban or rural areas. Remarks Cacnio in the same article: “My work is all about the daily lives of the Filipinos… Once people see my work, they are reminded of the past. By preserving it, I make people think back and recall past joy and happiness.” At first glance, Cacnio’s works may be deemed as simple and mundane. But it profoundly penetrates our memory and consciousness, enkindling in us the lost innocence of our childhood. Maybe this is why Cacnio’s works are that straightforward: they genuinely connect with the inner child in all of us and authentically capture a time when all was just simple and delightfully wholesome, at least in our minds as children constantly at play back then. (A.M.)