Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist

ABOUT THE WORK

Bencab exudes pictorial nostalgia, transporting one to the past. He sees himself doing more variations on the old Filipino theme. He works intuitively, always avoiding the risk of limiting himself to a repetitive message. Preoccupied with creating something Filipino, he delves into our rich heritage to unravel the mystery of our identity. The dynamics of the faceless costumed female forms remain the primary vessels for their essential appreciation. Quoting the book “Bencab” by Krip Yuson and Cid Reyes: “There is no more convincing proof of Bencab’s classicizing temper and abstracting eye than his enduring predilection for the drama of drapery”, that Bencab is a master of line is amply demonstrated by the visual harmony he creates with the subjects. A sense of order and structure underlies the seeming spontaneity of the composition featuring the women’s ethereal garments. The small figures are almost gestural in a frenzied, contrapuntal play of lines to emphasize the swishing movements of drapery that always engages the artist. Bencab always favored using few colors rather than many; deep browns make for the backdrop of the painting. Bencab’s works assert that fewer colors in a painting gives the art greater force and meaning.