Tres Marias
signed and dated 1991 (upper left)
pastel on paper
22" x 28" (56 cm x 71 cm)


PROVENANCEPrivate collection, Manila



Folk subjects feature heavily in Tam Austria’s oeuvre. An heir worthy of Carlos “Botong” Francisco, the young Austria had frequently visited the great master at his Angono residence, soaking up from him the practices of mural-making and the native beauty of the Philippine countryside.This influence is evident in Tres Marias. “Quite visibly a realist” as he describes himself, Austria’s works take after Botong’s love for the locals. Here, he blends woman and nature, blurring the lines from where the women start and the flowers end as he tightly packs the elements together. Hard at work, Austria’s women embody the strength inherent in their characteristics. Their place in society transcends far beyond our limited imagination – women exist in the work field, they toil in the rice fields, they keep their homes, and so much more. Long kept invisible, the woman’s place has been steadily illuminated through the years, elevating their position of holding up half the sky into collective consciousness. (Hannah Valiente)