Balut vendors

Of all the post-war Filipino artists who helped mould the way modern and contemporary artists in the Philippines define their roles artistically, Vicente Manansala is probably the most important. Manansala also serves as the heir of muralist Carlos Francisco's work and thus this distinguished lineage has been unmatched in the spectrum of modern art in the Philippines. Cubism undoubtedly was the backbone of influence to Manansala's works but he exerted his own strength of talent over his canvases and though the Cubist elements remain vividly apparent, he never compromises the lucid recognition of his subject matter. In this painting the viewer is never in doubt about what greets his eyes but the forms such as the garments are rendered in a mosaic of geometry that lend a sense of modernity to his subjects. His work stand out from all his contemporaries because he takes such a aggressive concept of Cubism but places it within an indigenous scope so that Southeast Asian viewers can partake of the beauty of the depictions and are not shut out through alienation.

The two figures depicted are Balut vendors; Balut being a dish which is typically Filipino and associated with a certain ruralness and lack of sophistication. However he does not want to heighten the amount of sophistication to the scene and does not apologise for their presence. He does not show them in any means of communication with each other or with customers but in a state of quiet almost meditative repose.