Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mr. Alexander Richard Joya Baldovino confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

Onward to Democracy Joya Paints the Confetti Rallies of the 1980s by ADRIAN MARANAN - Jose Joya’s acrylic collages are not only windows into the expressiveness of abstraction rooted in connectedness with nature; they were the artist’s creative explorations of the concept of nationalism, which he had begun incorporating in his art beginning in the late 1960s. By the early 1970s, Joya delved into his acrylic collages, using finely grained, diaphanous rice papers reminiscent of the kiping, the colorful leaf-shaped rice wafers central to the celebrations of the vibrant Pahiyas Festival of Lucban, Quezon. Joya’s acrylic collages became representative of his reconnection with nature as an integral part of the praxis of abstraction—a oneness with nature’s dynamic forces resulting in a gush of unbridled expressiveness. Moreover, this medium allowed Joya to reflect on and reconnect with his heritage, liberating himself from the confines of what he deemed as “too much Western influences.” “I have always thought that we, Filipinos, suffer from too much Western influences. It is good for us to start rediscovering our past,” said Joya in 1973 in his comprehensive interview with Cid Reyes and published in the definitive monograph Conversations on Philippine Art. Confetti Revolution is a homage to the “confetti rallies” that sparked in the Makati Central Business District, particularly along Ayala Avenue, and spread to other parts of the country, including Cebu and Davao. These rallies were pioneered by the “Monday Group,” consisting of Francis Laurel, Pec Castro, Gus Lagman, Pete Estrada, Tony Mapa, Lito Banayo, Rafael Evangelista, and an anonymous eighth member, who, in the words of Evangelista in a Rappler article titled “Who were really behind Makati’s yellow confetti rallies,” aimed “to mobilize the business community immediately after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983.” The yellow confetti rallies became one of the critical junctures of the broader protest movement against the dictatorship of Marcos, Sr., climaxing in the historic People Power Revolution of 1986. Joya’s use of rice paper matched the optimistic mood of the subject. Blots and streaks of yellow paint dominate the canvas, mimicking the yellow confetti raining throughout the stretch of Ayala Avenue from its high-rise edifices. Confetti Revolution sees Joya not only exploring his identity as a Filipino; he is reveling and partaking in history in the making. Like the kiping, which is synonymous with the spirited Pahiyas, Joya’s Confetti Revolution is a festive celebration of the historic protests against the dictatorship, manifesting his solidarity with his fellow Filipinos in the promising march towards the restoration of democratic liberties.