The self-taught Tecson sets aside his preference for producing angsty black-and-white canvases in favor of floral subjects in bold, nearly tactile renderings in oil. But there’s nothing lame nor cute about his latest creations. In fact, their random and ad hoc nature betrays Tecson’s checkered past, which he describes as a “beautiful disaster.”
For his 16th solo exhibit at Greenbelt 5’s Galleria Nicolas, artist Joseph Tecson transitions from his black-and-white period to a brighter, more colorful phase featuring bold compositions of various blooms in oil.
“Quatervois” highlights Tecson’s newfound affinity with flora that stemmed from a significant breakthrough in his personal life. At the height of the pandemic, the artist found solace amidst verdant treasures, found in his father’s budding flower farm outside Metro Manila.
“I want to represent what my dad did in the farm,” Tecson states. In order to find a silent retreat, as well as to honor his father, he channeled his creativity on canvas in the form of striking blossoms.
Here we see Tecson’s innate boldness when it comes to creative expression, untethered from the traditional way of painting flowers. “I tried to make it as abstract as possible,” he says.
But there is nothing lame or static about his art’s newfound direction. Nor are his latest works uber feminine. In fact, thick slabs of paint saturate every corner of the canvas, as if imitating the very nature and element of a real flower, albeit in his own brilliantly twisted way.
“I think how I paint really is a little violent,” he adds. The result bears a fresh artistic style, which is bravely different from his darker works culled from his checkered past.
Tecson, who was poised to follow in his dad’s footsteps as a production designer, was abruptly led to a different path as he learned how to paint while in jail. Oddly enough, he found solace during those dark times, a “beautiful disaster” as he calls it, leading him to realize the transformative power of art and the capacity for personal growth even in the most challenging circumstances. “I wouldn’t be an artist today if I didn’t go through that experience,” Tecson shares.
Thus the title “Quatervois,” which is indicative of Tecson’s turning point in his artistic career, as well as his triumph over his dark past. Finding time to pause and reemphasize his intentions as a creative, Tecson’s organic visuals feel like a breath of fresh air, representing a new path in his personal journey to spiritual growth.
When he was acquitted of the charges after spending four years behind bars, the artist had already been part of numerous exhibitions including his first solo at Mag:Net Gallery in Quezon City titled “Inmates,” a series that featured 50 portraits of convicts and detainees from where he was imprisoned.
Since then, the artist has mounted several solo exhibitions in and out of the country. His continuous strides earned him a spot in 2014 at the WhiteSpaceBlackBox in Switzerland, consequently mounting his solo exhibition, “Inmates + Outmates.”
Despite the lack of formal training, Tecson developed a distinctive style. His thought-inducing artistry ranges from the traditional themes of portraiture to the dynamics of societal contexts, often reaching satirical implications that tries to challenge and uncover the vulnerabilities of society’s preconceived notions.
“Quatervois” will be on view from November 21 – December 4 at Galleria Nicolas Greenbelt, with an opening reception on November 21, Tuesday at 5 p.m. Galleria Nicolas Greenbelt is located at 3F, Greenbelt 5, Legazpi Street, Makati City.For inquiries, contact Galleria Nicolas at +63 936 225 1226 or email at gallerianicolasgreenbelt@gmail.com.
