Exhibitions
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JUANITO TORRES EXHIBITS HISTORICAL PAINTINGS IN "EKSENA" AT GALERIE JOAQUIN
The tradition of paintings of historical events can be traced to the Paris Salon of the 18th and 19th century. In these annual events, historical paintings were regarded as among the pinnacle of artistic achievement and served not only to influence the strict adherence to Academism that was prevalent throughout the art centers of Europe but inspired a generation of artists to create masterpieces like Francisco Goya’s The Third of May 1808, or Jacques-Louis David's Oath of Horatii. More importantly, it served to create a uniquely Philippine strain that began with Juan Luna’s El Pacto Sangre (The Blood Compact). More than merely memorializing an event for inclusion into the national canon, Luna began by exploring the identity of the national soul - and what it means to be a Filipino. By placing an otherwise unimportant event by the standards of the colonizers into the realm of the European art establishment, Luna was essentially proclaiming that Philippine history, and by virtue Philippine people, not only existed but was something to be proud of.
Setting off a tradition that was also followed by the likes of Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino, the depiction of milestones in Philippine history is now embraced by historical painter Juanito Torres in his first one-man show which opens on September 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the newly-renovated Galerie Joaquin. Entitled Eksena, the show runs from September 13- 27, 2011. For more information, please call Galerie Joaquin at 723-9418 or visit their website at www.galeriejoaquin.com.
Displaying twenty works of milestones in the scale that has since become his trademark, contemporary artist Torres takes painstaking historical research and blended them with his amazing technical aptitude to create paintings that are not only accurate but decidedly dramatic. The ambiance created is a perfect combination of passion for the subject and a grasp of technique. He takes dramatic events such as the Battle of Tirad Pass and the Cry of Pugad Lawin and renders them in large scale (between 60 in x 72 in to 80 in x 118 in), befitting the grandeur of the moment. Washing his subjects in a light and shadow technique reminiscent of high classical, academic composition, one can then take the Katipunan blood rituals initiates undergo and compare them to Luna’s Battle of Lepanto, for example. High drama evidenced in a carabao charge against American troops during the Philippine-American War or the bravado of the assassination of Antonio Luna is presented with immense dignity - with full knowledge of the importance of the event in the formation of the Philippine nation. Likewise, the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo is presented with a staid dignity.
Historical figures jostle for place in his larger pieces, as if standing for a portrait amidst history’s revolving cast of characters. Spanish Governor-General Miguel Blanco, for instance, endures the excesses of a dinner party while wearing the trappings of the Spanish liberal movement. In an allegorical scene, school children become katipuneros as their teacher reads them their Philippine history lesson - perhaps demonstrating just how close the past is to who we are today. Limahong’s invasion in the early days of the Spanish colonial period is rendered as a tantalizing historical ‘what-if’, for Torres shows the tide in favor of the Chinese pirate - before the daring Juan de Salcedo rallied the defense of Manila to turn back the invaders.
In his works, it is clear that Torres is increasingly becoming the inheritor of a tradition that is considered the height of Academic art and thus the intellectual nuances involved in the discipline are readily apparent, including a high-regard for anatomy, classical composition, tonal values, and light and shadow. There is even a bit of whimsy involved in the form of the artist’s beloved dog making cameo appearances in his works, a silent witness to the march of history.
Juanito Torres is an alumnus of the Philippine High School for the Arts in Los Baños and the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He is a finalist of the 2005 Metrobank Foundation National Painting Competition. He has participated in numerous group shows at galleries like West Gallery, Boston Gallery, and Altromondo Gallery. Torres specializes in large-scale works of historical scenes and in Eksena, his first one-man show, Torres makes a case for the increasing importance to be proud of our nation's history and culture. Being among the few in the country today known for historical scenes and allegories, Torres combines his considerable technical talents, academic tradition, and a passion for history to become an truly one-of-a-kind artist in today’s contemporary art scene. While other artists almost blend into each other, Torres stands out - it is just as easy to recognize a Torres work as it is an Arturo Luz, or a Vicente Manansala. This is because he has managed to differentiate himself from the pack and this will indeed serve him well in carving a niche in the pantheon of Philippine art.
The tradition of paintings of historical events can be traced to the Paris Salon of the 18th and 19th century. In these annual events, historical paintings were regarded as among the pinnacle of artistic achievement and served not only to influence the strict adherence to Academism that was prevalent throughout the art centers of Europe but inspired a generation of artists to create masterpieces like Francisco Goya’s The Third of May 1808, or Jacques-Louis David's Oath of Horatii. More importantly, it served to create a uniquely Philippine strain that began with Juan Luna’s El Pacto Sangre (The Blood Compact). More than merely memorializing an event for inclusion into the national canon, Luna began by exploring the identity of the national soul - and what it means to be a Filipino. By placing an otherwise unimportant event by the standards of the colonizers into the realm of the European art establishment, Luna was essentially proclaiming that Philippine history, and by virtue Philippine people, not only existed but was something to be proud of.
Setting off a tradition that was also followed by the likes of Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino, the depiction of milestones in Philippine history is now embraced by historical painter Juanito Torres in his first one-man show which opens on September 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the newly-renovated Galerie Joaquin. Entitled Eksena, the show runs from September 13- 27, 2011. For more information, please call Galerie Joaquin at 723-9418 or visit their website at www.galeriejoaquin.com.
Displaying twenty works of milestones in the scale that has since become his trademark, contemporary artist Torres takes painstaking historical research and blended them with his amazing technical aptitude to create paintings that are not only accurate but decidedly dramatic. The ambiance created is a perfect combination of passion for the subject and a grasp of technique. He takes dramatic events such as the Battle of Tirad Pass and the Cry of Pugad Lawin and renders them in large scale (between 60 in x 72 in to 80 in x 118 in), befitting the grandeur of the moment. Washing his subjects in a light and shadow technique reminiscent of high classical, academic composition, one can then take the Katipunan blood rituals initiates undergo and compare them to Luna’s Battle of Lepanto, for example. High drama evidenced in a carabao charge against American troops during the Philippine-American War or the bravado of the assassination of Antonio Luna is presented with immense dignity - with full knowledge of the importance of the event in the formation of the Philippine nation. Likewise, the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo is presented with a staid dignity.
Historical figures jostle for place in his larger pieces, as if standing for a portrait amidst history’s revolving cast of characters. Spanish Governor-General Miguel Blanco, for instance, endures the excesses of a dinner party while wearing the trappings of the Spanish liberal movement. In an allegorical scene, school children become katipuneros as their teacher reads them their Philippine history lesson - perhaps demonstrating just how close the past is to who we are today. Limahong’s invasion in the early days of the Spanish colonial period is rendered as a tantalizing historical ‘what-if’, for Torres shows the tide in favor of the Chinese pirate - before the daring Juan de Salcedo rallied the defense of Manila to turn back the invaders.
In his works, it is clear that Torres is increasingly becoming the inheritor of a tradition that is considered the height of Academic art and thus the intellectual nuances involved in the discipline are readily apparent, including a high-regard for anatomy, classical composition, tonal values, and light and shadow. There is even a bit of whimsy involved in the form of the artist’s beloved dog making cameo appearances in his works, a silent witness to the march of history.
Juanito Torres is an alumnus of the Philippine High School for the Arts in Los Baños and the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He is a finalist of the 2005 Metrobank Foundation National Painting Competition. He has participated in numerous group shows at galleries like West Gallery, Boston Gallery, and Altromondo Gallery. Torres specializes in large-scale works of historical scenes and in Eksena, his first one-man show, Torres makes a case for the increasing importance to be proud of our nation's history and culture. Being among the few in the country today known for historical scenes and allegories, Torres combines his considerable technical talents, academic tradition, and a passion for history to become an truly one-of-a-kind artist in today’s contemporary art scene. While other artists almost blend into each other, Torres stands out - it is just as easy to recognize a Torres work as it is an Arturo Luz, or a Vicente Manansala. This is because he has managed to differentiate himself from the pack and this will indeed serve him well in carving a niche in the pantheon of Philippine art.