OCAMPO and

ZOBEL

Laririt. Lee. Madamba. Poblete. Rivera4 IND-1

Hernando Ruiz Ocampo

National Artist for the Visual Arts

Humble Beginnings Hernando Ruiz Ocampo- or H.R. Ocampo, as

widely-known by art enthusiasts, was born on April 18, 1911in Manila.

He was a son Delfina Ruiz and Emilio Ocampo, a section chief in the Department of Public Works and to help his family earn money, he started to engage in various jobs when he was 12 years old until he was 17.

Although he attended and finished high school, he never went to college.

Man of Literature From 1930s to 60s, he became a poet and a short story

writer of consequence, associate editor of the Herald Mid-Week Magazine, editor of This Week (the Manila Chronicle magazine), director of a government media organization and vice president of a large advertising firm (Philprom).

He was a founding member of a pre-war group of writers called the Veronicans before he became a painter.

Three of his stories landed on Jose Garcia Villa’s annual honor roll of the best stories for 1936 and 1937.

Hernando Ruiz Ocampo (1911-1978)EXAMPLE WORKS AS A WRITER:

SCENES AND SPACES – during the post-war period

about the imperialism of the United States.

RICE AND BULLETS (1937) – story about the

protagonist “Tura”, joining his fellow peasants in a protest

against rice hoarders but eventually shot and killed during

the clash with the police.

Self-taught Painter It has been said that he made the most original Filipino paintings

because he was self taught.

He taught himself how to paint though study and experiment,

looking at the best of the world’s art through books and magazines,

exchanging views with friends who had the edge of a formal fine

arts training.

He quoted that “the strongest influence on my paintings are the

things that I see around me everyday”.

Art Affiliations One of the Thirteen Moderns.

Formed the nucleus of the Neo-Realist Group

wherein he emerged as the spokesman.

A regular exhibitor at the Philippine Art Gallery

(PAG).

Founder of the Saturday Group, an informal club of

artists and art lovers.

The Ocampo Style “Unity, coherence and

emphasis in dynamic equilibrium.. To me these three are the basic principles of a good design, a good painting.”

“More than my paintings, I think those principles are my main contributions to Philippine Art. Every time I attend a symposium or conference, I hear people saying, ‘O, eto na si Mr. Unity-Coherence-and-Emphasis!’” -Ocampo

“If Edades opened the door to art, he opened it a “little”. But it was Ocampo who kicked the door wide open for other artists to walk through.” -Manansala

Traumatic Years- 1940s His artworks were greatly

influenced by the traumas he experienced.

He painted with his own style wherein his paintings were of poverty‐stricken  humanity. There was a sense of melancholy and bitterness in the reduced and distorted images.

Viewers were turned off with his idea of art as an escape.

Moving Forward When Ocampo came into terms with his

traumatic experience, he proved that art could be a liberating experience.

His works circled around poverty, hunger and oppression and he can be described as a realist.

His earlier themes also depicted surrealistic themes which shows images in ruins.

As A Nationalist In the 50s, he started to produce

masterpieces of still lifes exalting simple domestic objects such as earthen pot and stove, fish and mango, in an abstract style which was controlled and rational.

It can be seen in his works a familiar Philippine theme which was seen in the form and strong choice of colors (such as the strong, vibrant yellows, purples and greens- a Muslim chromatic triad).

Philippine Baroque was created, with Ocampo as its leading exponent in abstract art.

As An Abstractionist During the 60s and 70s, Ocampo’s works showcases a paradoxical order.

His works are in subtlety gradating in colors and the shapes are irregular.

Genesis

Human Nature Ocampo remained fixated

to human figures from from 50s (Fixty-Six E) until the 70s.

Ocampo’s art can be described as humanist and oftentimes, Christian elements such as nativities, crucifixions and pentecosts are present in it.

H. R. OCAMPO’s WORKS

He was the painter of Imelda Marcos’ monument in the Cultural Center of the

Philippines.

H. R. OCAMPO’s WORKS

PLANTSADORA

-presents the hardwork of a

Filipina ironing men’s top clothing and

how hard it was considering the material

of the clothing and the type of iron she

was using.

H. R. OCAMPO’s WORKS

TATLONG LARAWAN

-presents Jesus Christ

dying on the cross in between the

two sinners, and also the piece

where Fernando Amorsolo told

Ocampo that he is already a

Painter.

TechniquesHe had a basic grasp of the principles of modernist color theories, and

intuitively derived techniques based on a unique personal sensibility.

He used color not as a static compositional element; by skilfully

exploiting completion and juxtaposition, he directed the viewer’s eye

movement. He meticulously wielded the fine end of a palette knife

and a small blunt brush to create tone and texture. He also favoured

dynamic shapes and forms that motivated his color values. He

produced paintings that pulsate.

Survey of WorkAbstract is usually associated with the word chaos and in Ocampo’s case,

his works are “chaotic in an orderly manner”. If you look at his paintings

closely, you would notice the neatness and accuracy of every line and curve.

Every stroke is done carefully; there is a flow and rhythm to every stroke.

Every color was planned to the precise gradation and complements each

other perfectly; there is subtleness in the gradation of colors. His works also

possessed textures which are either smooth or seemingly rough. He has a

persuasive sense of design. Above all, what immediately grabs one’s

attention is the harmony and balance of the whole.

His nationalistic character can be recognized in the color schemes that he

used which was typically in vibrant hues such as red, green yellow. He

shows nationalism indirectly by his use of colors and form.

Fernando ZobelPainter of the Most Expensive Philippine

Artwork

Earlier Years Fernando Zobel was born in Manila on August 27, 1924. He was the son of Enrique Zobel de Ayala, a Spanish

businessman and Fermina Montojo Torrontegui. He pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Philippines

and studied Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas during the Japanese occupation, World War II.

He entered Harvard University as a student of Philosophy and Letters and graduated as magna cum laude.

Famous Acquaintances He became acquainted to Boston artists such as Reed

Champion, Jack Pfeufer and Hyman Bloom. He discovered the new wave of young Spanish artists and

established friendships with Gerardo Rueda, Luis Feito, Guillermo Delgado and Antonio Lorenzo.

In Madrid, he established a studio which he shared with the Spanish artist Gerardo Rueda and established friendships with Saura, Sempere, Chirino and Antonio Magaz.

With the help of Gustavo Torner, Gerardo Rueda, Eusebio Sempere and Antonio Lorenzo, he established the Musuem of Abstract Spanish Art in Cuenca.

He established friendships with Carmen Laffon, Gerardo Delgado, Joaquin Saenz, the family of Antonio Bonet Correa and Juana de Aizpuru.

Art Scene BeginningsBoston Artist

Zobel started painting in the year 1942 when he acquired a spinal ailment. He became acquainted to Boston artists such as Reed Champion, Jack Pfeufer and Hyman Bloom and his paintings were highly influenced by the said Boston artists and painted that way for a while.

Filipino Artist The Boston influence

disappeared from his work and he employed Philippine themes and motifs in his painting which used vivid hues and are characterized by strong lines and simple compositions.

Entering the Abstract Scene: Saeta Series Mark Rothko’s works

convinced Zobel that it was possible to paint in abstract. The realization eventually led to Zobel’s Saeta series.

The Saeta series fell under the category of Abstract Expressionism which was also called action painting.

“I spend some time fixing a view point. Then I begin with quick heavy strokes to indicate the pattern of colors within the composition. Not stressing my abstract coloration, but rather emphasizing form through relating close-value planes, I enforce personally-designed shapes.”

The Black Period Zobel’s work was primarily

defined by the effects of light and its capacity to suggest volume or its illusion of depth.

“Limited to black and white, I tried to find a substitute for the vibrations formerly produced by contrasts of color. I managed this to a certain extent by using a dry brush to blur some of my lines; blurs and streaks that changed the linear nature of Saetas and instead suggested direction, changes in tempo, effects of light, a sense of volume, etc. Inevitably, when a painting begins to suggest light and volume, and to extent that it does, it stops being abstract. This is not always voluntary process not a fully conscious one. At any rate, my paintings were beginning to turn into something else; something more suggestive and less abstract.”

Escalona (1961)

The Return of Hues In his Dialogues and Conversations,

Zobel attained his artistic composure. The said painting manifested the context of dynamic symmetry.

“I think that painters paint the world they live in. My world has to do with the history of art. It would be absurd for me to attempt social realism; I’m the sort of person who lives in museums or at home surrounded by books and paintings.”

Jucar Series Zobel began

painting landscapes inspired by the river Júcar. 

Fernando Zobel took inspiration from Cuenca, the Spanish town where he lived until his death in, and it is apparent in many of his paintings.

He uses the palette of neutral browns and greys. JUCAR XII

La Serie Blanca His White paintings were actually

exercises in the abstracting capacity of vision. He was not particular and he did not use colors. Only greys, in warm and cool contrasts, were used to indicate the ultimate basic form.

La Piedra del Caballo (1971)

The OC Artist “When a picture looks fresh, people tend to think that it was

improvised. I’m pretty sure that exactly the opposite took place. In the widest sense of the word, order is one of the secrets of what I recognize as beauty. Years ago, someone told me that in Japanese, the same word can mean clean and beautiful. I have given that a lot of thought.”

“Order, and a certain simplicity of composition, probably account for a good deal of tranquility you seem to find in my pictures. Incidentally, that may explain why I can’t seem to work directly from a model. There is too much going on. I prefer to trust the abbreviated sense of order imposed by memory. Memory selects and organizes. It seems to whisper, ‘This is worthwhile’, and I try to listen. It isn’t all as easy as it sounds. But when I recognize the results in my work, I feel very pleased.”

Most Expensive Philippine Artwork On May 24, 2008,

Zobel's work titled Noche Clara was sold at Christie’s in Hong Kong was sold for PHP 6,000,000, making it the most expensive Philippine artwork.

Survey of Work His works were done in neat precision. There is

beauty and charm in the simplicity of his works. His works are distinctive because of his style; bold strokes against a luminous background. Every work was done meticulously, as if every stroke was done with intent. His works depicts cleanliness, serenity, softness, and subtlety. There is life in his works for there is movement in the strokes done.

END.