Accompanied by a certificate issued by Josefa Joya-Baldovino confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

A jewel of Philippine art, Jose Joya is lauded as one of the pillars of Philippine modern art. Known for his abstract expressionist style, Joya expertly intertwines the intensity of the East and the vibrancy of the West. However, while he was known for incorporating foreign influences in his works, the travel ban imposed by martial law in the 1970s virtually limited Joya’s travels within the Philippines. Paradoxically, this has opened his eyes to the beauty and potential of his own country. “More than at any other stage of my artist development,” he recalls in Remembering Joya, “I came face-to-face – and celebrated – my identity as a Filipino.” This more deliberate probing at his Filipino identity is evident in his 1977 The Parian. An area adjacent to Intramuros where Chinese merchants in Manila lived in the 16th and 17th centuries, Parian de Arriceros became a bustling commercial center in Manila with more than a hundred shops occupying the area. Today, the land that was Parian is now known by a different name: Liwasang Bonifacio. Spearheading the birth and the growth of abstract expressionism in the Philippines, Jose Joya’s dynamic layers of colors and textures create a lively canvas. He was posthumously conferred the title of National Artist for his contribution to developing the Philippine abstract art. (Hannah Valiente)