Exhibitions

After the success of the last Masters of Modernism exhibition that featured new works from Angelito Antonio, Galerie Joaquin is set to exhibit painting's from Antonio's contemporary and one of the key figures of Philippine Modernism, Justin Nuyda.

Justin Nuyda is one of the storied figures in the history of Philippine art. Beyond his own thought-provoking oeuvre, Nuyda is an instigator of the collaboration and aesthetic development that defined the late Philippine Modernism period of the 1960s and 70s. He was one of the founders – together with National Artists H.R. Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, and Alfredo Roces – of the famous Saturday Group of Artists in 1968. Comparable with other prolific artist groups such as Eduouard Manet's bohemes that met at the Café Guerboi in 19th century Paris, or the Cedar Bar Group of New York in the 50s that had the likes of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko, the Saturday Group attracted an entire generation of artists to Ermita's Tazo de Oro Restaurant—aside from the founders, these included artists such as National Artists BenCab and Ang Kiukok, Onib Olmedo, Agustin Goy, and Juvenal Sanso (whenever he was in town from Paris). The Saturday Group also appealed to writers and curators—including Lorna Montilla, Lily Amansec, Rod. Paras-Perez, and Leo Baesa. Justin Nuyda was right in the thick of this celebrated company, being the founder.

Now new works from this legend in Philippine Modernism will be displayed at Galerie Joaquin's Masters of Modernism: Justin Nuyda (Mindscapes). Opening on July 24, 7 pm at Galerie Joaquin's Main Gallery in San Juan, the exhibition promises to be a fantastic survey of new works from the Master. It's also a great way to reacquaint art lovers and historians to a rich and prolific oeuvre from one of the most important periods of Philippine art history.

Galerie Joaquin's Main Gallery is located at 371 P. Guevarra Street corner Montessori Lane, Addition Hills, San Juan. They may be reached through their landline at (632) 723-9418 or email at info@galeriejoaquin.com. Please visit their website at www.galeriejoaquin.com.

Justin Nuyda graduated from the Fine Arts program of the University of Santo Tomas in 1966. With numerous awards to his name, he is notable for having won the first 13 Artist Award in 1972 (a distinction he shares with Angelito Antonio and Mario Parial) and for having won the Art Association of the Philippine's Award in 1968 for his work, Search 39.

A Modernist heavyweight, Justin Nuyda builds on a career that spans more that forty years of prolific development. The artist's "Mindscape" series is particularly notable as a bellwether in the development in Philippine abstraction. The consummate naturalist (Nuyda gained scientific prominence as a noted lepidopterist, or butterfly expert); he fuses his expansive knowledge of butterflies and nature with a visual art practice that is both geometrically logical yet organic. His canvases flow with dynamism and energy—a characteristic that suites the personal temperament of the artist himself.

With a critically and commercially distinguished career, now is the time for Justin Nuyda to step up and take his place at the very top of the Pantheon of Philippine visual art. Truly one of the the Philippines' Masters of Modernism.