Raul Isidro at Galleria Nicolas
MANILA, Philippines - Coming off a successful retrospective exhibition at Ayala Museum last year, Raul Isidro stands as one of the pre-eminent abstractionists in the country today. A pioneer in Philippine abstraction, Isidro was among the first abstractionists to incorporate indigenous Philippine designs, symbols, and motifs in his paintings, resulting in highly-organized works that exude a sense of calm and serenity. His style is characterized as active abstractionism, often referred to as kinetic gesturalism, or “active painting†since viewers can see the way his hand gestures from the strokes on the canvas.
Galleria Nicolas presents new works by this seminal master in “Masters of Modernism: Raul Isidro.†The exhibition opens on March 12 at 6:30 p.m.
No matter the medium, Isidro’s alignment has always been with abstraction, which he has always regarded as the highest form of painting. “I was looking for symbols that I could use as themes,†the artist told art critic Leo Banesa in 1980. And Isidro uses the depth of abstraction to demonstrate these themes.
Nature has been a constant source of creation for Raul Isidro. In fact, it is the subject of much of his earlier works. He revisits this theme in this latest series of works. “Trunks,†for instance, is an abstracted landscape of what used to be a forrest that now merely exists as tree trunks. The stark, minimal landscape of one tone enables the abstracted figures of the trunks themselves to seemingly float above the fray in a haunting meditation of nature. Likewise, “Bright Earth†is a fascinating landscape of rock formations that capture the spiritual essence of Mother Nature.
The show is on view until March 26. Galleria Nicolas is at the 3/F Art Space, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City. For information, visit www.gallerianicolas.com or call 625-0273.
