Untitled
signed and dated 2022 (bottom)
thread, textile and acrylic on canvas
48" x 72" (122 cm x 183 cm)

Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot




The story as to how Raffy Napay developed his unique artistic practice can be described as the string of fate working its will. Initially working with oil and acrylic paints, Napay was forced to abandon these materials due to an adverse allergy he developed. However, this setback did not deter his artistic journey.During his recovery, Napay found inspiration in his mother, who worked as a seamstress at the time. Drawing from her craft, Napay transitioned to working with threads and fabrics as a way to continue his artistic practice. Since then, he has produced pioneering pieces that utilized the meticulous physicality of fabrics, while maintaining a painterly quality in his work. This unique approach added a novel level of dimensionality to his art, one that would have been absent had he stuck to traditional paints and oils.This particular 2022 piece by Napay is notable not only for its intricacy, but also for its choice of color (or sparseness thereof) Napay works, whether big or small, usually exhibit an array of colored threads, expertly chosen by the artist to contribute to the mood of the work as a whole. Here, we see Napay’s choice to utilize shades of white and grey in order to create a feeling of temperance and transcendence. (Jed Daya)