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Lot Essay
Curating the Sky is yet another remarkable testament to Geraldine Javier's eerily exquisite work and her unique sense of handling paint both freely and expressively. With an astute use of colour, Javier is able to convey the most sensitive subtleties of form and texture, making them almost palpable to behold. Her simple compositions are brought to life with the addition of a few sweeps of the brush to lighten or darken, bringing added volume and much depth to her work. The engagement with colour and light enhances her brilliant sense of form; albeit dark and sombre at times. The images created are soft but defined, and exists in a mysterious and almost mythological realm.
Composed as a diptych, the painting comprises top and bottom canvas pieces—the former, a smaller work that depicts a cloudy sky in monochromatic tones, consists of two oval windows that reveal a clear blue sky that lies beyond, and the latter, a larger composition, presents a surrealistic scenario of a suited man hovering above the floor, hands clasped as he gazes upwards toward one presumes, glimpses of a better world through the windows above. Placed in a room where the familiarity of a hardwood floor, twin doors and a heater, are juxtaposed against an alien rumbling sky, this dream-like reality is strange, ambiguous and mysterious in its portrayal of such a disparate landscape.
A sense of irrationality and absurdity certainly pervades the work, where its subjects are incongruously paired, but are yet inextricably associated in a world that defies traditional interpretation. Therein lies the ingenuity of Geraldine Javier, a superb contemporary artist who not only showcases her skill and technical competence, but also displays a flair for weighing the nuances of human emotion and existence. The isolated doors, hanging clouds, and suspended man are all images reminiscent of surrealist tendencies of surprise, spontaneity, mystery and elements of the marvellous.
In addition, the artist herself bears the intention for her work to function as a parody of her own emotions. As she once explained, "Curating the Sky was based on a photograph of a real curator. The concept for the piece was borne out of the frustration from having to stay and work in my studio for long periods of time, which is everyday now. This is in conflict with my constant desire to be outdoors. Capturing, painting and framing nature—this piece is a fool's attempt to concretise fantasy, combining it with reality in the hopes of fulfilling both need and desire".
Composed as a diptych, the painting comprises top and bottom canvas pieces—the former, a smaller work that depicts a cloudy sky in monochromatic tones, consists of two oval windows that reveal a clear blue sky that lies beyond, and the latter, a larger composition, presents a surrealistic scenario of a suited man hovering above the floor, hands clasped as he gazes upwards toward one presumes, glimpses of a better world through the windows above. Placed in a room where the familiarity of a hardwood floor, twin doors and a heater, are juxtaposed against an alien rumbling sky, this dream-like reality is strange, ambiguous and mysterious in its portrayal of such a disparate landscape.
A sense of irrationality and absurdity certainly pervades the work, where its subjects are incongruously paired, but are yet inextricably associated in a world that defies traditional interpretation. Therein lies the ingenuity of Geraldine Javier, a superb contemporary artist who not only showcases her skill and technical competence, but also displays a flair for weighing the nuances of human emotion and existence. The isolated doors, hanging clouds, and suspended man are all images reminiscent of surrealist tendencies of surprise, spontaneity, mystery and elements of the marvellous.
In addition, the artist herself bears the intention for her work to function as a parody of her own emotions. As she once explained, "Curating the Sky was based on a photograph of a real curator. The concept for the piece was borne out of the frustration from having to stay and work in my studio for long periods of time, which is everyday now. This is in conflict with my constant desire to be outdoors. Capturing, painting and framing nature—this piece is a fool's attempt to concretise fantasy, combining it with reality in the hopes of fulfilling both need and desire".