ABOUT THE WORK

Angelito Antonio has been distinguished as one of the most influential modernists in the Philippine art scene. His works have been influenced by Vicente Manansala who was his composition professor at the University of Santo Tomas. Antonio’s use of nascent cubism has earned praises for its aggressive style in contrast to his mentor’s vigilant eye towards classical anatomy. His adherence to Modernism’s core tenet of dynamic expression has earned him a place as one of the pillars of Philippine modern art. Antonio’s works have been characterized through his use of colors, the most significant of which is a shade of yellow that has a lustrous characteristic. His subjects focused on the folk genre such as cockfighters and vendors which is evident of Manansala’s influence on his artistry. In this piece titled Still Life, Antonio focuses on the subject of a market scene where his application of figurative distortion and strong, confident diagonal lines are strongly discernible. His use of the brilliant primary colors of red and yellow juxtaposed with black highlights his masterly approach to pleasing contrasts and unisons that create harmony within his canvas.