As Jomar Delluba revisits the sitters, mythological allegories, and the highly-familiar scenes of classicism, a revelation has presented itself to him resulting in his oeuvre for “Envisage”.
Delluba’s recent works put his signature tongue-in-cheek characters back in the frame — showing his audience a forecast, or envisage, of what art history might look like if it had been more amusing.
Delluba references historic, often Renaissance paintings as a base and reworks and recasts the subjects with his trademark naí¯f-like doll-characters set in fantastic and humorous locales.
The centuries-old works of art associated with Delluba’s works can be considered as imprinted in the collective consciousness, as modern viewers recognize them even when they are disguised, abstracted or in his case, remixed. Jomar Delluba depicts the symptoms of post-modern satirical irony through his paintings, providing a comic relief from the current tumultuous pandemic landscape.
As art continues to become more accessible, the masterpieces of the past will no doubt continue to inspire the creativity of the present — from conceptual still-lifes to classical portraits. But one thing is for certain, as artists reinterpret classic art for the modern world, the paintings reflect more of humanity than ever before — making it more diverse, more inclusive and in this case, more relatable.
From his roots in Pangil, Laguna, Jomar Delluba has established a steadfast collector base with his skillfully executed pop surrealist style. The artist’s ventures into the realms of realism and abstraction have served to add to his visual vocabulary and eclectic style.
Informed by lowbrow and populist predecessors, as well as his mentor Filipino surrealist Jerry Morada, Delluba deftly juggles humor and austerity, skill and levity, canon and kitsch, to subvert the art aficionados’ demand for consistent novelty. With well-received solo exhibits and international clientele in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, Delluba has risen to prominence with a diverse style and evolutionary vision.
“Envisage” by Jomar Delluba will be on view from December 10 to 20 at Galerie Joaquin Podium. The Galerie is located at Level 3, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
