Provenance: :
The Crucible Gallery, Mandaluyong City

ABOUT THE WORK

The practice of National Artist Benedicto “BenCab'' Cabrera is often considered to be multifaceted and ever-evolving. Although his style has become distinct and even iconic, the artist has developed his practice into new and branching series and groups of works. From his well-known Sabel series, which features an unorthodox muse in the form of a female scavenger, to his Larawan series, which utilizes the aesthetics of turn-of-the-century photographs as a way dishing out social and political issues, BenCab makes sure to stay away from artistic stagnation by constantly finding new ways of expression. In the particular piece, BenCab turns his focus on one of the most enduring subjects in art; the Nude. Nude pieces have a special place in art given that the depiction of the nude is often attributed to the timeless pursuit of beauty and grace in the human form. Thus, various nude pieces of various sizes, shapes, and colors have been produced throughout human history.But, aside from its transcendental and metaphysical connotations, the piece also showcases BenCab’s deep and nuanced understanding about rendering the human body in art. Although BenCab does not present us with a piece that is anatomically correct, he does utilize his own iconic style as a way of not only translating the essentials of form into his figurative style, but he also manages to translate an originally two-dimensional style into a sculptural form. His figure does not possess any idealized or exaggerated proportions. Instead, his subject is blessed with features that are all too familiar for the common viewer. In doing so, BenCab manages to add a level of depth that resonates with our shared humanity. (J.D.)