CUBISM

Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that

revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related
movements in music, literature and architecture. Cubism has been
considered the most influential art movement of the 20th century. The term
is broadly used in association with a wide variety of art produced in Paris
(Montmartre, Montparnasse and Puteaux) during the 1910s and extending
through the 1920s.
The movement was pioneered by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso,
joined by Andre Lhote, Jean Metzinger, Albert Gleizes, Robert Delaunay, Henri
Le Fauconnier, Fernand Lger and Juan Gris. A primary influence that led to
Cubism was the representation of three-dimensional form in the late works of
Paul Czanne.[4] A retrospective of Czanne's paintings had been held at the
Salon d'Automne of 1904, current works were displayed at the 1905 and
1906 Salon d'Automne, followed by two commemorative retrospectives after
his death in 1907.
In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in
an abstracted forminstead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the
artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the
subject in a greater context.
The impact of Cubism was far-reaching and wide-ranging. Cubism spread
rapidly across the globe and in doing so evolved to greater or lesser extent.
In essence, Cubism was the starting point of an evolutionary process that
produced diversity; it was the antecedent of diverse art movements.

EDGE OF ABSTRACTION
Hard-edge painting is painting in which abrupt transitions are found
between color areas. Color areas are often of one unvarying color. The Hardedge painting style is related to Geometric abstraction, Op Art, Post-painterly
Abstraction, and Color Field painting
The term was coined by writer, curator and Los Angeles Times art critic
Jules Langsner, along with Peter Selz, in 1959,[3] to describe the work of
painters from California, who, in their reaction to the more painterly or
gestural forms of Abstract expressionism, adopted a knowingly impersonal
paint application and delineated areas of color with particular sharpness and
clarity. This approach to abstract painting became widespread in the 1960s,
though California was its creative center.
Other, earlier, movements, or styles have also contained the quality of
hard-edgedness, for instance the Precisionists also displayed this quality to a
great degree in their work. Hard-edge can be seen to be associated with one
or more school of painting, but is also a generally descriptive term, for these

qualities found in any painting. Hard-edged painting can be both figurative or

nonrepresentational.

Madonna of the Slums

Madonna of the Slums is 86.5 x 61 cm. It is considered a key modernist
painting of the 1950s.
Set in the slums that appeared at the end of the war is this picture of the
urban poor. It is expressive of the feelings of anxiety and insecurity of the
time. The shades of brown used emphasize the shabby appearance of the
shanties with their roofs put together from scraps, the dirt, and the
discomfort. The central image is of a keen and watchful mother whose child's
hand is against her face in a gesture that suggests protection against the
harshness of life.
A painting on masonite by Vicente Manansala, it now belongs to the National
Museum Collection.

Jeepneys
JEEPNEYS by VICENTE MANANSALA This painting shows the daily congestion
in the metropolis. It is drawn from a neo-realism style in which Manansala
uses. The colors used are pre-dominantly shades of yellow.
Manansala combined the elements of provincial folk culture with the
congestion issues of the city.

Birdman
MANILA, PhilippinesA familiar-looking painting called The Bird Seller was
being offered by Christies-Hong Kong for its Asian 20th Century Art auction
on May 27. Listed as Lot 2135, the 24 x 35 -inch piece in oil on canvas was
signed and dated Manansala 76.
Low estimate: HK$400,000-550,000 (or US$51,000-70,500). Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner; Private Collection,
Asia.
The Christies catalog attributed it to Filipino master modernist and National
Artist Vicente Silva Manansala, and described it as an iconic work,
contributing significantly toward the visual development of cubism in Asia
it holds a place amongst some of the finest compositions of Manansalas
career.