Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

Provenance: Artist's Collection

ABOUT THE WORK

Max Balatbat highly regards Kastilyo as his magnum opus, his best and most personal work to date. According to the artist, the work encapsulates the consummate fusion of all his works. “This piece is very special to me because I was able to integrate all my works, from the past up to the present. I was able to integrate to this piece the acrylic skins I have been doing—hardened paint that looks like fabric,” Balatbat says in a special interview with Leon Gallery. For Balatbat, no one gets closer to becoming an inspiration than the neighborhood that honed his craft and cultivated in him a sense of empathy for the less privileged. “Why would I search for other things for creative inspiration if I am more familiar with where I grew up,” Balatbat remarks. The artist grew up in a Caloocan neighborhood surrounding a 5,000-square-meter, three-story old cabaret that had transformed into a brothel. In the lexicon he has grown accustomed to, Balatbat calls this place putahan, a haven for those seeking to satiate the carnal demands and desires of the flesh but a workplace for those forced by unequal opportunities born out of systemic injustice. Balatbat has considered the brothel and its neighborhood his personal definition of a kastilyo (castle). “We grew up in small houses surrounding the cabaret,” he shares. “The old cabaret is like a massive structure. That is my kastilyo. The place has always been my inspiration in my works. For me, it is a castle with many “employees,” but with a king and a queen—king of bugaws (pimps) and queen of the putas (prostitutes). It was also like a playground for me.” Interestingly, some of Balatbat’s childhood friends were the children of prostitutes. For Balatbat, he is not in the position to judge these people; by only responding to the coerced calls of the flesh, they are able to counter the crushing cries of a gnawing stomach. The work at hand, Balatbat says, can be the start of something new, be it a series or a change in style or medium. “I am certain that I can keep going with my art. I can feel it because the creative puzzle that I have been piecing together for two decades is now gradually coming to full realization. It’s a great feeling. It’s like you have earned your master’s degree.” Balatbat continues: “I’ve done similar works before, around 2014 and 2015. But now, it’s just different. I feel like I’m getting better. This particular piece has become the answer to all my experimentations in the past.” Indeed, home is where the heart is. As cliché as it sounds, this perfectly encapsulates Balatbat’s art, from which a personal essence, a poignant ambiance, and an empathic feeling emanate. (A.M.)