Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist

Literature: De Jesus, Angel G., H.R.Ocampo: The Artist As Filipino, Heritage Publishing, Philippines, 1979, (illustrated, fig. 158, p.84)

ABOUT THE WORK

In a 1974 interview by Cid Reyes, Ocampo was asked: “In your earlier paintings, you did have definite leitmotifs or perhaps themes, such as fish forms, leaf forms, flames or tongues of fire, masks. How did they evolve?” He replied: “From nature, from everything around me. Fish forms — from the fried fish we have at our table. Leaf forms — from the plants all around and the flames or tongues of fire evolved from the leaf forms. Masks — from a book I picked up on African masks and then another book on the art of the South Pacific for which I definitely felt an affinity. Ocampo was a self-taught painter, and the fact that his vision had not been molded and shaped by a system of education worked to his advantage. He broke all the rules in painting, and got away with it. Because of his success, self-taught painters began to feel they were at par with those who had formal painting. H. R. Ocampo was credited for inventing a new mode of abstraction that exemplifies Philippine flora, and fauna, and portrays sunshine, stars and rain. Using movement and bold colors, Ocampo utilized fantasy as the basis for his works. His art is described to be "abstract compositions of biological forms that seemed to oscillate, quiver, inflame and multiply" like mutations.