PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF A DISTINGUISHED COUPLE

Leon Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Gisella Olmedo-Araneta for confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

Onib Olmedo, a leading expressionist artist in the country, made a name for himself for his highly original works which go beyond external appearances to explore the human spirit. His intense and abiding interest in people and the world as subjects of his art matured in the streets of Manila, particularly in Malate and Ermita. From the destitute women hustling foreigners to the old and blind street musicians, he developed a deep sympathy for the masses. The expressionist mood in Olmedo’s oeuvres is fused with an absorbing interest in form, since he was not primarily concerned with the plane of external appearances. He composed his figures not only on the surface but also in-depth, interpenetrating one another and creating the effect of a wraithlike apparition. The ‘90s was a memorable decade for Olmedo. In 1990, he mounted his first and only show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Two years later, in 1992, he received the Thirteen Artists Award and also became a recipient of awards from the Internationale Exposition des Peintures at the Cha?teau Muse?e de Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Then, in 1994, this pastel piece was made. After two years, Olmedo passed away in 1996. (P.I.R.)