PROPERTY FROM THE ALICIA MARQUEZ-LIM COSETENG COLLECTION

ABOUT THE WORK

Norma Belleza's approach to genre painting is described as raw yet exceptionally eye-catching. Her mastery of color harmony integrated with her distinct brushstrokes resulted in an interesting take on the local folk genre. Belleza's genuine interpretation of the genre is attributed to her understanding of the ordinary people—their lifestyles, resilience, and strength of character amid the challenges brought by their everyday living. Belleza always puts the folk people at the forefront of her composition, such as fishermen and women vendors, emphasizing their innate strength and native physical appearance. Due to the unsophisticated and able-bodied physique of the people in Belleza's works, they have been described as "more rural" than those depicted by Anita MagsaysayHo or Fernando Amorsolo. In this particular work, Belleza portrays several fishermen after their laborious toiling on the deep oceans. She depicts them in a brightly colored and vibrant ambiance, adding vitality and dynamism to the canvas. The bright hues, especially the warm yellows, are highlighted and brought to the foreground, emphasizing the optimistic spirits of her subjects. The artist renders the fishermen in vivid colors. Belleza relinquishes a smooth brush stroke in favor of a texturally grainier yet strikingly evocative one. Her palette also exudes an energy that is revitalizing for the beholder. In a seemingly uncontrived snapshot from their lives, Belleza humanizes her subjects, putting them in their everyday situations to establish affinity with the ordinary viewer.