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Lot Essay
Ronald Ventura is internationally acclaimed for his unsurpassed ability to creating compelling and richly distinctive images. An artistic visionary, Ventura perceives universes beyond reality, capturing that elusive and suspenseful magical quality which emanates during unexpected intersections of human existence.
Wonderful Bait (Lot 62) is an outstanding masterpiece by Ventura, drawing together iconic motifs and elements frequently employed throughout the past decade of his painting career into an exquisite whole. Ventura combines his superb photorealism with a moving tribute to his home country, the Philippines.
Against a panoramic horizon, a searing fireball explodes against the sky, casting out billows of smoke and cloud. Out of this raging inferno, a sleek black stallion leaps across the canvas, its four white hooves pounding against the intersection of land and sky. An infinite stretch of ocean appears at the base of the pictorial plane, with a Great White shark surging through the waves. Yet upon closer observations, we also see vignettes of Philippine life - a young boy scavenges soft drink bottles and other recyclables while working class folk push a waterlogged motorized tricycle (a commonly seen mode of transport in the Philippines) through the flood.
In 2013 - the year Ventura created this artwork - the Philippines was rocked time and time again by environmental catastrophes, particularly the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in November. Against a national backdrop already rife with social turmoil, such as the six-yearly political elections, foreign relation spats, military crises and other ongoing social problems particularly those faced by the lowest classes, the Philippines was ill-prepared for the overwhelming avalanche of natural disasters in 2013. Ventura's motif of a beautiful young woman in a scarlet traditional dress buffeted across the waves by a black raven aptly summarizes the state of the country during this moment in time.
Wonderful Bait is a message of hope, optimism and determination that the Philippines will overcome all odds. The roaring fireball itself references Typhoon Haiyan, flaring in a brilliant fiery spiral similar to the eye of a typhoon. Like the Phoenix reborn, the black stallion emerges triumphantly from the inferno, soaring across the canvas with dynamic vitality. A bouquet of colorful balloons bloom within the sky, and an astronaut ascends the stallion's back, bringing to mind the famous words uttered by Neil Armstrong during his moon landing, which was once believed impossible: "One small step for man, a giant leap for mankind".
RONALD VENTURA'S ARTISTIC PROCESS: LAYERS OF NARRATION
Ronald Ventura's artistic process has always held great fascination for viewers, due to his immaculate painting technique and the spectacular interplay of motifs. Through a sequence of photographs of Wonderful Bait in progress, we are now able to observe the complexity and labor involved in the creation of Ventura's artworks.
First the foundational backdrop is laid down and painted in entirety, right down to the minute details in spite of the fact that they may later be obscured by the final layer of images (fig. 1) - a- a complete rendition of Ventura's famous carousel horse with full ornaments and sinews; the interplay of light and shade in the plume of fire; the hazy landscape in the background, and even the facial expression of the fashion-plate Filipina in the lower left. Following this, the storyline begins to take shape as Ventura creates the second layer of images and traces the outline for the focal motif (fig. see Figure 2). Now, the seascape and flood scenes are developed with their accompanying cast of characters; the fireball blooms and unfurls; blue clouds and a bright hot air balloon are added. Finally the most powerful and captivating image takes life on the canvas - the black stallion, displaying a rich glossy coat, windswept mane and tail, and blinkered by a star. All visual details are perfected and finished with Ventura's impeccable painting technique, and his signature graffiti motifs are traced on to the final picture (see Figurefig. 3). Through these stages, we are able to observe the immense skill and effort undertaken to develop and execute each masterful creation by Ronald Ventura.
Wonderful Bait (Lot 62) is an outstanding masterpiece by Ventura, drawing together iconic motifs and elements frequently employed throughout the past decade of his painting career into an exquisite whole. Ventura combines his superb photorealism with a moving tribute to his home country, the Philippines.
Against a panoramic horizon, a searing fireball explodes against the sky, casting out billows of smoke and cloud. Out of this raging inferno, a sleek black stallion leaps across the canvas, its four white hooves pounding against the intersection of land and sky. An infinite stretch of ocean appears at the base of the pictorial plane, with a Great White shark surging through the waves. Yet upon closer observations, we also see vignettes of Philippine life - a young boy scavenges soft drink bottles and other recyclables while working class folk push a waterlogged motorized tricycle (a commonly seen mode of transport in the Philippines) through the flood.
In 2013 - the year Ventura created this artwork - the Philippines was rocked time and time again by environmental catastrophes, particularly the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in November. Against a national backdrop already rife with social turmoil, such as the six-yearly political elections, foreign relation spats, military crises and other ongoing social problems particularly those faced by the lowest classes, the Philippines was ill-prepared for the overwhelming avalanche of natural disasters in 2013. Ventura's motif of a beautiful young woman in a scarlet traditional dress buffeted across the waves by a black raven aptly summarizes the state of the country during this moment in time.
Wonderful Bait is a message of hope, optimism and determination that the Philippines will overcome all odds. The roaring fireball itself references Typhoon Haiyan, flaring in a brilliant fiery spiral similar to the eye of a typhoon. Like the Phoenix reborn, the black stallion emerges triumphantly from the inferno, soaring across the canvas with dynamic vitality. A bouquet of colorful balloons bloom within the sky, and an astronaut ascends the stallion's back, bringing to mind the famous words uttered by Neil Armstrong during his moon landing, which was once believed impossible: "One small step for man, a giant leap for mankind".
RONALD VENTURA'S ARTISTIC PROCESS: LAYERS OF NARRATION
Ronald Ventura's artistic process has always held great fascination for viewers, due to his immaculate painting technique and the spectacular interplay of motifs. Through a sequence of photographs of Wonderful Bait in progress, we are now able to observe the complexity and labor involved in the creation of Ventura's artworks.
First the foundational backdrop is laid down and painted in entirety, right down to the minute details in spite of the fact that they may later be obscured by the final layer of images (fig. 1) - a- a complete rendition of Ventura's famous carousel horse with full ornaments and sinews; the interplay of light and shade in the plume of fire; the hazy landscape in the background, and even the facial expression of the fashion-plate Filipina in the lower left. Following this, the storyline begins to take shape as Ventura creates the second layer of images and traces the outline for the focal motif (fig. see Figure 2). Now, the seascape and flood scenes are developed with their accompanying cast of characters; the fireball blooms and unfurls; blue clouds and a bright hot air balloon are added. Finally the most powerful and captivating image takes life on the canvas - the black stallion, displaying a rich glossy coat, windswept mane and tail, and blinkered by a star. All visual details are perfected and finished with Ventura's impeccable painting technique, and his signature graffiti motifs are traced on to the final picture (see Figurefig. 3). Through these stages, we are able to observe the immense skill and effort undertaken to develop and execute each masterful creation by Ronald Ventura.