Provenance: La Gazette Drouot, Contemporary and Actual Art,
Barcelona, 27 July 2022, Lot 62

ABOUT THE WORK

Romeo Tabuena walks the fine line between Mexico and the Philippines and emerges as the perfect combination of both. In 1955, Tabuene settled permanently in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico after a few years of studying abroad. Despite his physical distance from his home country, he had never severed any ties with the Philippines, retaining his Philippine citizenship as well as participating as the Philippines’s representative in many art events, including the Eighth Biennial of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1965. This continued love for the Philippines despite the distance is evident in this mixed media work. Taking on the quintessential Filipino symbol, the Philippine flag, he mixed it with the common images of the Filipino masses. Despite his physical distance, Tabuena can never seem to fully sever himself from the Philippines, a fact that he will contend with as he permanently settled in San Allende while still maintaining his connections to his homeland. “[Tabuena is] a gentle soul who appreciated … the many similarities between Mexico and the Philippines,” Bibsy M. Carballo said. Indeed, Tabuena’s works transcend geographical boundaries as he depicts the vibrant cultures of his hometown and chosen country through his equally animated oeuvre. (Hannah Valiente)