Exhibitions

Jomar Delluba has a keen eye for comedic subtlety in approaching his art style. The artist has become well-known for his satirical renditions of significant periods in art history that have left a major imprint on this day and age of creative expression; including the visionaries who made history such as Michaelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso to name a few. These are a few of the many historical artists who Delluba has taken major inspiration from, playing crucial parts in his act of incorporating the classical with a hint of mischief.

“Periodic Parodies” paints portraits from the past culled from archival masterpieces. In particular, this series pays homage to the masterly works of historical painters Jules Joseph Lefebvre, Alexandre Cabanel, and Frank Cadogan Cowper to name a few. In this series, we are offered an amusingly alternative perspective as it primarily focuses on the visual semantics that Delluba’s homages aim to gesture. With this in mind, the artist portrays a subtle yet impactful modification in his dames and damsels – picturing their faces in visible disdain, discomfort, and dissatisfaction. A bold and stark contrast to the paintings they were derived from, Delluba persuades the viewers to approach the matter with a grain of salt – inviting them to indulge in the comedic thought that each portrait suggests. Further, this lowbrow motif hopes to challenge the boundaries of what is considered art by exploring the unconventional, and sometimes controversial, subject matter.

As we are used to perceiving art with introspective explanations, there are, more often than not, kinds of art that need no further meaning to what it represents. With this, Delluba does not aim for his viewers to ponder on deep artistic thought in his portraits, but to have a laugh and consider its use of humor, irony, and mischief.

From his roots in Pangil, Laguna, Jomar Delluba has established a steadfast collector base with his skillfully executed pop surrealist style. The artist’s ventures into the realms of realism and abstraction have served to add to his visual vocabulary and eclectic style.

Informed by lowbrow and populist predecessors, Delluba deftly juggles humor and austerity, skill and levity, canon and kitsch, to subvert the art aficionados’ demand for consistent novelty. With well-received solo exhibits and international clientele such as in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, Delluba has risen to prominence with a diverse style and evolutionary vision.

“Periodic Parodies” by Jomar Delluba will be on view from October 20 – 31, 2023 with an Artist Reception on October 25, Wednesday at 5 PM. Galerie Joaquin Rockwell is located at the R3 Level of Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center, Makati. For inquiries, email Galerie Joaquin at galeriejoaquinrockwell@gmail.com or contact +63 915 414 5502.