ABOUT THE WORK

Vicente Manansala’s transparent cubism flaunts a translucence and ethereality—a lightness akin to that of his earlier works with watercolor that preceded them. Evidently, Manansala’s technical mastery has shone thru with his masterful approach with watercolor—so much so that such works have become pieces of great renown. The artist has treated us to a wide assortment of styles and media, flaunting his technical mastery with anything he can create a work of art with. While studying in Paris, Manansala had the chance to study directly under Ferdinand Leger, a French painter whose works are seen as a pioneering voice of cubism at the time. Manansala’s sojourn to Europe presented him with the opportunity to hone and perfect his technique by applying them to the local vagaries of the continent and culture. In this piece, we see that Manansala had the rare and historic opportunity to visit West Germany. A result of competing ideologies of two world superpowers, the East-West division of Germany remains as one of the most important socio-political and geo-political phenomena in recent memory. Through his stark yet ethereal use of cubism, Manansala seemingly captures both the spirit of the bygone era, and his own unique individuality as a spectator and participant in a pivotal moment in history.