An Adventure Of Pens And Pencils Teaches Patience

In ArtistSpace’s upcoming exhibition entitled “Patience: An Adventure of Pens and Pencils” at Ayala Museum on April 2-14, viewers will find frames upon frames of biomorphic patterns in rainbow hues, created by meticulously drawn concentric circles and round forms.

The patterns reveal many stories, sometimes of unassuming sand formations, and in several occasions, of molecules forming a multitude of matter, surprising viewers with macro perspective of things.

Admission is free and interested parties can call on Lorraine Datuin, the gallery coordinator, at 759-8288 at the Ayala Museum, Makati City.

The works are inspired by the most ubiquitous objects and phenomenon experienced by the artist from everyday urban scenes to stellar formations on a night sky, beachscapes, and microorganisms.

Two important themes that are key to understanding on JJ Duque’s works are the element of texture and the principle of rhythm.

Texture is present in them through gradient rendering and pointillism, while rhythm is evident in the repetition of shapes. All these are achieved through a “stream-of-consciousness” drawing process in which the artist works on sheets of heavyweight paper and lets his art flow.

The process, said Duque, usually averages 30 hours, where the artist employs a mantra-like discipline of outlining and shading. Such is Duque’s brand of meticulous art making.

While Duque demonstrates the same obsession and reverence for the circle and the patience to draw intricate patterns with artists such as Nena Saguil and Yayoi Kusama, he has come up with his distinct style and process, one characterized by a continuous dissecting and breaking down of daily experiences into the simplest shape: the circle.

Who is JJ Duque? He is a 44-year-old visual artist based in Manila. He has consistently showcased his brand of art at the much anticipated “Art in the Park” fair in Makati City and has joined a number of group exhibits through the years until he became a full-time artist in 2014.

He prefers to take a formalistic approach to art, focusing on the elements and principles to create images. Ultimately, he believes that many rich and complex stories can be told through this approach. (PNA) SCS/LOR/EDS