Max Balatbat (b. 1978)

Lot description

Bahay Bahayan (Triptych) signed and dated 2013 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 72" x 144" (183 cm x 366 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot EXHIBITED Bahay-Bahayan Series (Travelling Exhibition) held at: Chelsea Gallery, London, United Kingdom, 19 - 22 June 2013 Museum of Young Art (MOYA), Annuale 2013, Vienna, Austria, 1 - 14 July 2013 Palazzo Medici Museum, Florence, Italy, 24 - 28 June 2013 Max Balatbat’s Bahay Bahayan (Triptych) may have preceded his ‘Siyudad’ exhibition by a decade or so, but it carries its essence throughout every square inch of this piece. A tapestry of elements portraying the titular bahay-bahayan, Balatbat’s works were inspired by his father, Romy, who was an architect. As such, one can see his natural affinity when describing the mismatched roofs of a typical Filipino subdivision, especially with his Siyudad pieces, but also in this Bahay bahayan one. Overlapping patterns and colors create an abstract approximation of an architectural landscape. “Rich in metaphor and emotive content, his compositions are layered depictions of visceral narratives of the personal and communal,” his artist bio for his Siyudad exhibition wrote. “Both real and conjured, these places are stored locations which consistently provide the muse for creative engagement.” (Hannah Valiente)