The Accusation

Alfonso Ossorio’s The Accusation, 1951, stands as an early and incredibly evocative painting from one of the most important periods in the artist’s career. In 1950, Ossorio returned to his home country, the Philippines, for the first time in almost 25 years. This transformative trip would produce some of the artist’s finest works in the years following. Finding himself in his devout Catholic hometown brought up deep feelings of turmoil, as his sexuality conflicted with his family's values. In turn, his canvasses from this period explore techniques such as rubbing, dripping and stamping that create energetic lines and brushwork. The Accusation stands as a fascinating work that is filled with an almost spiritual intensity, showing Ossorio’s deep feelings after his trip home.

In 1949, Ossorio befriended Jackson Pollock and would later become one of his greatest patrons and supporters, even putting up with Pollock's frequent and infamous violent outbursts. Pollock, in turn, influenced Ossorio a great deal when he suggested that he travel to Paris to meet the budding French Art brut artist, Jean Dubuffet. Dubuffet and Ossorio developed an immediate kinship. Curiously, Pollock would never meet Dubuffet in person, but as the two artists became leading protagonists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Ossorio helped bridge the gap between Europe and America. The influence of these two artists on Ossorio is evident in how the artist seems to almost pour his energy into his canvasses, especially evident in The Accusation.