Provenance: Private Collection, USA

ABOUT THE WORK

In 1953, Oscar Zalameda left the Philippines to pursue higher art studies in San Francisco, California and Paris. Two years later, in 1955, he would study mural techniques in Mexico and begin his professional painting career. Towards the 1960s, Zalameda would exhibit in various cities, including New York, Paris, Barcelona, and Milan. He would eventually return to the Philippines in 1963. This piece, created during Zalameda’s homecoming period, mirrors his cosmopolitan quality as a well-traveled artist. During his travels, Zalameda imbibed the various styles he encountered, particularly the tenets of Abstract Expressionism, as seen in this work. Here, Zalameda fuses linear elements and bright colors to render an image of a stunning coral reef. (A.M.)