Provenance: Provenance: Private Collection, Manila

ABOUT THE WORK

          Joya pioneered a unique brand  of abstraction closely tied to the Philippine culturescape.  Clustered semicircular forms seem to allude to “kiping” which Joya started to integrate into his art in the late 1960s.  Alejandro Roces describes it in his book Fiesta: “The kiping is the leitmotiv of the Pahiyas celebrations in Quezon province.  This takes place in May in honor of San Isidro Labrador.
          Cid Reyes once asked Jose Joya: “Do you consider your works as Filipino in spirit?”
          Joya answered: “Foreigners who have seen my paintings know that they were painted by an oriental.  That much is clear. Of course, they couldn’t say if it was done by a Filipino, I don’t know if we have any painter who approximates what you call “Filipino spirit”  whatever that means, I don’t know.  Perhaps the moment  you become identifiable as “Filipino”, well then, that’s the end of you. The mystery of art is something you can’t pinpoint.”