The Philippine-born artist has earned an early reputation for his iconoclast paintings that critiqued colonialism. Ocampo has been a prime mover of the art community in Manila and the others that intersect the Philippines.
The show explores the artist’s pursuit to be critical of his art-making process. As he subjects his painting skills to relentless practice, he grapples with the motivation and intention behind an artist’s work. Should an artist paint as he pleases or deliberately differentiate his painting from the boundless images that are already existing in our world? What subject matter and ideas should an artist convey? What stylistic or formalist innovations should an artist present?
He scrutinises what it means to be “critical” with art as he asserts that “criticality” is a fundamental tool in illuminating an artist’s vague intentions. He goes further to declare – in his characteristic provocative style – that the age-old tradition of painting has become a laughing-stock in the academia. Therefore, it is paramount for artists to be compelling and paintings to be stimulating.
