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

Provenance:
Private Collection, Manila

Literature: Reyes, Cid. J. Elizalde Navarro. National Museum of the Philippines. Manila. 2008. p. 124

ABOUT THE WORK

Due to his engagement in advertising arts that exposed him to the popular culture of his time, Navarro developed a fondness for Pop Art. This style was championed in the Philippines by none other than Navarro, although it is important to note that his “Pop Art period” was purely an experimental stage. Nevertheless, it is important to note that his “Pop Art period” was purely an experimental stage. Nevertheless, Navarro integrated Pop Art with Abstract Expressionism, resulting in works that appear as mockeries of contemporary affairs. The Filipino Politician’s Family is Navarro’s take on the morally decrepit situation of Philippine politics, created at a time when the socio-political climate of the Philippines was in its tumultuous stage. Rendered in a satirical approach, Navarro portrays the politician’s family as comical figures who take advantage of their privilege and power to make a fool of the people – one that is symbolized by their ridiculous features. In the September 22, 1973 issue of The Asia Magazine, Navarro was featured in the “Artists of Asia” series. In the article “Practitioners of Pop Art,” Peggy Printz wrote: “Jerry E. Navarro has turned the slick poster style of commercial advertising into satiric Pop Art painting and sculptures with the vibrant colors and folk-art directness of his native Philippines. Using acrylic paints, often combined with tinted plexiglass or assorted found objects, he juxtaposes jarring colors, producing discordant, reverberating rainbows.” Printz added that “Navarro’s aims are typical of a large number of Asian artists who hope to reflect their environment through an art that is relevant to the time and place in which they live, and that also retains the flavor of their own cultural past.