Lot description
Ronald Ventura (b.1973) Ang Plastik Mo! Exemplifying his sheer mastery of the figurative technique, Ronald Ventura ventures into an acerbic examination of surface appearances in this stunning work, Ang Plastic Mo! Garbed in the fashion of the times, the figure seemingly asserts her privacy with the way she holds her hand to her face (like a celebrity eluding a paparazzo) as she moves through life swaddled in a cocoon of plastic, which Ventura has rendered with startling confidence and verisimilitude (look at the creases and the reflections of light). The gesture is an exercise in sheer folly: the more she tries to shield herself from attention, the more she generates it. From what scrutiny is she protecting herself? Curiously, she recalls the sofas and pieces of furniture some people choose to stay wrapped in plastic to protect them from untimely wear and tear, never mind the indignity of the transparent covering. All efforts to hide are all for naught, as the viewer can see the artificiality of it all. This painting, in the near-sepia characteristic of some of Ventura’s works, reveals the paradox of secrecy and exposure. signed and dated 2010 (lower left) oil on canvas 48” x 36” (122 cm x 91 cm) Property of a Distinguished Lady Collector
