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Lot Essay
A favourite among visitors to Antonio Blanco's studio, Corner in the Blanco Studio , embodies Blanco's enthrallment with Bali. Amongst the grand tradition of European artists travelling to Bali as a rite of passage to immerse themselves in the idyllic tranquil of the island, Blanco stands out both with his idiosyncratic demeanor, and the painterly force behind his paintings. Born in the Philippines, to parents from Spain, Blanco eventually went to New York to pursue an education in art. His formalist training led to a fascination with the human form, and the rich myriad of ways to represent the body. An extended period of travelling led to his arrival in Bali. Soon after, he would marry Ni Ronji, a Balinese dancer of acclaim, and settle in the island after a life spent wandering the world.
In Corner in the Blanco Studio, having made Bali his home, Blanco depicts the sublime beauty of an everyday scene of repose. Infusing the composition with a warm luminosity, Blanco captures a little girl in a moment of absolute stillness. The newly acquired Gamelan, and the curvature of the lush fabrics draping key points in the painting, adds to the atmospheric lavishness. Both the subject, and the surroundings objects stand at a contrast with Blanco's decision to intersperse swirling brushstrokes in the canvas. The energetic brushstrokes promises that the quietness of the scene is fleeting, and the rush of the everyday is just at the horizon. While the little girl commands the center of the composition, the whirl of brushstrokes suggest that the world around her is quickly going to push her to new unknowns. However, her calmness in the scene hides an inner strength that is not to be toyed with. Her assuredness, and her almost preternatural sense of self lends an air of optimism to the future ahead of her. Ultimately, Blanco displays a certain degree of reverence towards the little girl's agency to determine her standing. The result is a triumph of artistic skill.
In Corner in the Blanco Studio, having made Bali his home, Blanco depicts the sublime beauty of an everyday scene of repose. Infusing the composition with a warm luminosity, Blanco captures a little girl in a moment of absolute stillness. The newly acquired Gamelan, and the curvature of the lush fabrics draping key points in the painting, adds to the atmospheric lavishness. Both the subject, and the surroundings objects stand at a contrast with Blanco's decision to intersperse swirling brushstrokes in the canvas. The energetic brushstrokes promises that the quietness of the scene is fleeting, and the rush of the everyday is just at the horizon. While the little girl commands the center of the composition, the whirl of brushstrokes suggest that the world around her is quickly going to push her to new unknowns. However, her calmness in the scene hides an inner strength that is not to be toyed with. Her assuredness, and her almost preternatural sense of self lends an air of optimism to the future ahead of her. Ultimately, Blanco displays a certain degree of reverence towards the little girl's agency to determine her standing. The result is a triumph of artistic skill.