Jarque’s quest

A number of unconventional paintings caught my attention at one of the recent art exhibits. They were the works of Eugene Q. Jarque, a young artist who also teaches at the Technological University of the Philippines.

Jarque has been preoccupied with fabrics. He uses unusual materials as canvases, one reason why his works caught the attention of guests at the lobby of the Hotel Inter-Continental in Makati City, where he had a back-to-back show with a Spanish sculptor.

The artist explained, "I found this diamond-ribbed fabric that was also water-repellent. It was so strong because the diamond-shaped weave interlocks the threads making it impossible to tear. I cannot think of any other material that can beat this one in terms of durability. So, I decided to paint on it."

For this exhibit, Jarque chose black among the available colors for this fabric. The material is actually the latest in upholstery material. He used this as a canvas for his large paintings.

The surface of the material has a shiny quality given the nylon thread component. This served as a background for his angular, abstract compositions formed with very powerful and precise strokes in stark black, gray and white.

"What exactly are your paintings about?" I asked him. Let me explain that being an artist does not automatically mean I understand every piece of art I am viewing.

"The title for this series of bigger paintings is Transitory. The reason for this is the temporary nature of the objects as material, the transient ownership of the people who acquire them, and the corresponding situations I chose to paint with them in mind," he said.

Jarque explained that from the time he was a TUP student, improvisation became the key to any of his creative activities.

"I do not speak only for myself," he said. "My experience is similar to any other student in our school, because everything is on a specific budget. Often, there is simply no budget. There was never the ideal situation when we could avail of all the materials we needed and simply go from there to undertake the process of creation. Acquiring the materials simply became part of the creative process. We learned to squeeze our creative juices with found objects and other materials to produce and submit our projects in school."

This probably explains why Jarque has skillfully trained his eye, whether consciously or unconsciously, to find materials for his art, mostly from the streets and, mainly, the markets of Divisoria, where he passes through to this day.

"I actually know by heart what most shops have. By merely looking at the goods in many of them, I readily know if there is anything new among the layers and layers of rolled materials on display. Other than this, it is also a delightful experience when I find things in the streets, and for that matter, anywhere I am. Whatever attracts me compels me to incorporate it in my work."

Jarque’s large paintings are about the characteristics certain things that trigger feelings about his existence and the history and evolution of daily living. The thick paint, brushed or spread with the use of a large palette knife, depict confidence and clarity of form. The density of the medium and the choice of colors, however, take on a subdued mood of quiet presence that is very calming, like an object waiting quietly to be noticed.

Consequently, one recognizes why, without immediately understanding his abstract forms, there is a tendency for audiences to gravitate toward his artworks, because they impart an aura of history and continuity hinged on survival and all the things that were created to give a deeper meaning to life.

Transitory?

Eugene Jarque simply said, "Nothing is permanent and my paintings are image-diaries of all the things I see and collect which will all be part of someone else’s life, as I will inevitably move on to a different dimension… Sooner or later? Who knows when?"