Jerry Morada’s works for “Dominion” begin as a reaction to his environment. His artistic communication reflects influences of cultural, spiritual, and poetic energies that surround him daily. The ideas for Morada’s work tend to be a complex breakdown of that environment, which began as reactions, then sparked emotional connections with the images therein.
Throughout history, the subject of the bull in art has been primarily an expression of man’s emotions. Evidently many artworks represent feelings that man has towards his environment rather than towards the animal itself. A natural depiction of the bull expresses strength, fierceness, fearlessness, and virility. Traditionally, the bull is thought to symbolize stamina, fertility and hard work — strong and sturdy.
The dragon is a supernatural, mythical creature that inhabits the sky and the waters and is connected with clouds, rains, and fertility on one hand and the emperor and his venerated ancestors on the other. For thousands of years, the dragon has intertwined itself into all phases of Asian social and political life as well as every form of art and literature. A symbol of the emperor, the dragon is the most important symbol of power.
For Jerry Morada, they signify the Filipino’s resilience during tough economic times.
In every aspect, both creatures have represented the all-powerful good, which protects the well-being of man. The heroic aspect of it is expressed through Morada’s powerful forms of bull and dragon, that carries all the courage and strength that may be found in our society today.
Jerry Morada (b.1979) graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts and made a name for himself as an emerging contemporary artist. He began his career working as an artist for ProbeProductions, Inc., producer of the award-winning “Probe Team”. He is among the founders of the Guevarra Group together with Edwin Tres Reyes, Gig de Pio, and Dominic Rubio. Morada took part in Art Expo Malaysia 2009 under Galerie Joaquin’s booth. In 2014, he won the GSIS Prize in Sculpture. Jerry Morada has always sought to fuse elements of abstraction and figuration in an engrossing configuration of texture, color and composition in his body of work.
“Dominion” by Jerry Morada will run from July 17 to 26, 2021 at Galerie Joaquin, Level 3 The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries, contact Galerie Joaquin at +63 917 5822115 or email podium@galeriejoaquin.com.
