Provenance: Provenance: Private Collection, Manila

ABOUT THE WORK

In this particular oil on canvas piece, the modernist master Manuel Rodriguez Sr. showcases his unique and unparalleled knack for abstract and figurative forms. Early in his career, Rodriguez was mainly concerned with the natural beauty of his surroundings, given that he was mentored by the likes of Fernando Amorsolo and Fabian de la Rosa. But, his brief yet fruitful stint abroad proved to be fundamental in Rodriguez’s artistic growth. He met seminal printmakers Mauricio Lasansky and Gabor Peterdi and was introduced to their unique approach to art and the medium of printmaking. This piece exemplifies Rodriguez’s shift towards his more contemporary style. The figures are bare and simple yet layered with context and meaning, giving them a timeless allure while the play of tones creates a solid yet shifting dreamlike visual quality. From the humanoid figure’s stance to the geometric shapes that make up what seems to be a table, every aspect of Rodriguez’s work is carefully planned and executed, a hallmark of the artist’s genius. Along with Galo Ocampo and Vicente Manansala, Manuel Rodriguez Sr. was among the three moderns who won in the 1955 AAP Art competition which caused the conservatives to walk out. Mang Maning, as he is fondly called, is a pioneering artist who revived printmaking as a major art form which led to the graphics arts movement in the Philippines. He was not only an artist but also a teacher and maestro loved and admired by his students. Rodriguez Sr. contributed to furthering modern art in more ways other than painting and printmaking. He once managed the Philippine Contemporary Art Gallery where, with the urging of Manansala, Ang Kiukok held his first show in 1954. The rural genre theme is strictly abstract as it shows the dominance of form over subject matter.