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

Provenance: Provenance: West Gallery, Quezon City

ABOUT THE WORK

The strikingly original works of art by contemporary visual artist Raffy Napay are born out of both personal and artistic necessity. Napay graduated from Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology with a degree in Fine Arts. He then managed to win a number of major awards such as the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence Award in 2008 and the Philip Morris Philippine Art Award in 2012 and 2014. Napay originally worked with oil and acrylic paints but developed an adverse allergy to the materials, forcing him to abandon the medium. While recovering, he drew inspiration from his mother, who was a seamstress at the time. Napay, as a way of continuing his artistic practice without sacrificing his overall health and safety, began working with threads and fabrics. Eventually, Napay would create pioneering pieces that utilized the meticulous physicality of fabrics to create jaw-dropping and epic pieces that maintained their painterly quality. One can see Napay’s works as a triumph over adversity. Napay’s works often revolve around idyllic and rural scenes. But, rather than falling into tradition, Napay’s unique medium allows him to create novel reinterpretations of classical scenes. Each part of his piece is coherent and directed, imbuing his work with intention and dimension. But, Napay’s works are accessible and creative enough for one to weave one’s own meaning upon viewing. His works interweave his personal histories with the shared experiences of a relatively fledgling nation finding its footing in a globalized world. Napay’s groundbreaking artistic practice landed him two international residency grants, one Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom, and another one in Artesan Gallery + Studio in Singapore. He has mounted several international exhibitions, such as his solo show at Art Stage Singapore and a solo exhibition entitled Sanctuary at Ateneo Art Gallery in 2015. Napay also managed to bag the coveted Il Lorenzo Magnifico at the 10th Florence Biennale in 2016.