Provenance: León Gallery, The Kingly Treasures Auction 2013,
Makati City, 7 December 2013, Lot 138

ABOUT THE WORK

Gabriel Barredo is a Filipino artist best known for his sculptures and mixed-media installations. His monumental, immersive mixed-media installations and assemblages have been the focal point of numerous solo and group exhibitions, both locally and internationally. Moreover, he pioneered kinetic sculpture in the Philippines, establishing himself as a formidable and pivotal figure in his chosen field. For Barredo, an artwork is a spectacle that exists to be displayed. Crafted with unparalleled rigor and meticulous craftsmanship, Barredo’s works are not meant to be hidden or confined in small spaces. This colossal centerpiece candle holder, skillfully crafted with swirls of unconventional materials, is a testament to his unique and intriguing artistry. His inimitable practice challenges the limits and possibilities of art. Barredo’s work process includes months of bricolage, sketching, and painting, employing a plethora of found objects such as rods of electric fan covers, windshields, paper, wrought-iron, antique radios, coconut husks, bottle caps, bed springs, fire-hose coils, conveyor belts, wooden beads, and computer and refrigerator parts. His ingenious utilization of these materials and whimsical themes, such as the juxtaposition of the mundane and the extraordinary, adds to his eccentric yet original practice of crafting. (Jessica Magno)