Still Life
signed and dated 1984 (lower right)
oil on canvas
24" x 30" (61 cm x 76 cm)

León Gallery wishes to thank Mr. Marcel Antonio for confirming the authenticity of this lot
PROVENANCEGaleria LienzoPrivate collection, Manila



Norma Belleza’s works embody the quote “The common Filipino is a maximalist.” Overflowing with colors, texture, and Filipino iconography, her works are so vibrant and quintessentially Filipino in their festivities that the best of her oeuvre is her folk genre works depicting women, vendors, workers, and peasants in her strong art style. In her 1984 Still Life, Belleza’s typical broad brush strokes and vivid colors make a return as she depicts a laid-out table. Fresh flowers are put in a jar beside a peeled orange, the flower-patterned curtain and houseplants in the background a clear recall of one’s childhood home. The exuberance of Belleza's works reveals the inherent lush quality of the common folk, the vibrancy showing off her refined folk sensibilities. (Hannah Valiente)