Cultural Cache Online Season 5 Episode 1: "Portrait of Fernando Zobel" by David Medalla

Summary

In this episode of Cultural Cash Online, Petty Benites Joano, founding curator of the Miranila Heritage House and Library, explores David Cortez Medalia's 1956 painting, Portrait of Fernando Sobel, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She delves into Medalia's vibrant use of color, texture, and impasto, highlighting his focus on materiality and exuberance over strict likeness. Tracing his career from early Philippine exhibitions to international acclaim in London, New York, and beyond, Joano emphasizes Medalia's enduring connection to his Filipino roots, his experimental approach to art and performance, and the lasting impact of his works on both local and global art communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Petty Benites Joano is the founding curator and archivist of the Miranila Heritage House and Library and a faculty member at UP Diliman's Department of Art Studies.
• 😀 The episode discusses David Cortez Medalla's 1956 painting titled 'Portrait of Fernando Sobel or Don Orenzio de Aila,' currently in the CCP collection.
• 😀 The painting features vibrant, biomorphic forms and colorful textures that express exuberance, with Orenzio's figure being the focus of the artwork.
• 😀 Medalla's early portraits were celebrated as representations of people he admired, and this piece is an example of such admiration.
• 😀 The portrait is characterized by dynamic lines, bold use of color, and the sense of energy and life Medalla aimed to communicate through his art.
• 😀 The painting features a striking mix of black and mustard yellow, with a lively composition that includes forms and textures.
• 😀 Medalla's 1956 works, including the portrait, were part of a broader exploration of materiality, where the focus was more on paint's texture and color than on likeness.
• 😀 In 1957, Medalla's first solo exhibition presented portraits with impasto layers, giving depth and intensity to the paintings, making colors stand out.
• 😀 Medalla’s connection with poetry and performance art grew in the late 1950s, and his works were often used as backdrops for poetry readings.
• 😀 Despite facing critics, Medalla was recognized for his unique style, with praise from artists like Joan Edades and poet Jose Garcia Villa, who described him as one of the best painters in the Philippines.
• 😀 Medalla spent his last decades in London and continued creating art, contributing to international exhibitions and galleries. His later works reflected a continued attachment to his Filipino roots.
• 😀 Medalla's philosophy of art emphasized the randomness and chance events in existence, and he avoided formalism by embracing a personal, intuitive approach to creativity.

Q & A

Who is Petty Benites Joano and what are her main contributions?

Petty Benites Joano is the founding curator and archivist of the Miranila Heritage House and Library, a faculty member of UP Diliman's Department of Art Studies, and the editor and primary author of 'The Life and Art of David Cortez Medalia' (2012).

What is the painting 'Portrait of Fernando Sobel' and where is it located?

'Portrait of Fernando Sobel' is a 1956 painting by David Cortez Medalia, held in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Collection. It depicts Don Orenzio de Aila in a full-figure pose with expressive features and vibrant colors.

How did Medalia approach portraiture in his early works?

Medalia's early portraits emphasized admiration and the expression of ideas rather than strict likenesses. He used vigorous lines, vibrant colors, and layered impasto to create depth, texture, and emotional energy.

What materials and techniques did Medalia use in his 1956 portraits?

He mixed oil paint with materials like sand, gravel, and possibly seashells, creating thick impasto layers that enhanced color intensity, texture, and natural shadow formation.

What other notable works did Medalia produce in 1956-1957?

Notable works include 'Self-Portrait' (1957, National Museum) and 'Joyous Kingdom' (1956, donated to Ateneo Art Gallery). These works similarly emphasized texture, color, and expressive vitality.

How was Medalia received by critics and peers?

Medalia had both detractors and admirers. Joan Edades called his style primitive and brazen but a milestone in Philippine art, while poet José Garcia Villa praised him as the best painter in the Philippines.

What was Medalia's life like after leaving the Philippines in 1959?

Medalia moved to London and later lived in New York, becoming a key figure in kinetic, participatory, and proto-performance art. His works were included in major museums and international exhibitions.

How did Medalia maintain his connection to the Philippines while abroad?

He identified as Filipino, kept travel documents updated, archived family and friends' photos, and reflected on his early life in Manila and educational experiences at UP Diliman.

What philosophy did Medalia express about his art in 2011?

Medalia emphasized openness to inspiration, chance, and life experiences. He avoided formalism by allowing his art to expand and contract with his capacity to love and be loved.

What characterizes Medalia's later works and final years?

His later works were large-scale sand-and-oil paintings with rich textures, reflecting his enduring joy in art-making. Even in a wheelchair, he continued performances and created works celebrating Philippine connections.

How did Adam Nan Cervvis describe Medalia?

Adam Nan Cervvis, Medalia's partner of 30 years, described him as a 'citizen of the world,' spiritually connected to New York, artistically formative in London, emotionally tied to Manila.