Jeremias "Jerry" Elizalde Navarro (1924 - 1999)
Of Griffins and Gargoyles
signed and dated 5-20-93 (lower right)
oil on canvas
57" x 45" (145 cm x 114 cm)

PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION





The exuberant interplay of colors gave characterization to the abstract paintings of J. Elizalde Navarro. A feat keenly explored in the later years of his career, this can perhaps be traced to the artist's residency in Bali. In his first encounter with the tropical paradise, his color premises were among the first to be affected. According on Cid Reyes book titled J. Elizalde Navarro, the fine artist said: “Colors - the way colors are used, is eye-boggling. I am used to seeing colors in a well-ordered way. In Bali, color attains order in a disordered way, as if thrown haphazardly but with an order when seen from a distance - mysterious - a predominance of primary colors, no mixtures. This throws out all the color laws from art schools.” An artist prominently known for his ever-evolving art styles and forms, his oeuvres attained a more vibrant hue in the early 90s. Furthermore, many of his works had "a relational approach to colors and brushwork swirling around a central core or axis." His canvases became a whirlpool of color, mixing colors on the spur of his emotions and creating unique and exquisite combinations. Such descriptions can also be observed in this J. Elizalde Navarro oil on canvas piece titled Of Griffins and Gargoyles. In 1993, Navarro staged three exhibitions in three consecutive days at three different galleries: The Ayala Museum, The Luz Gallery, and Duemila Gallery. Having a plethora of Baliinspired pieces, the exhibits were titled "Return to Abstraction." Navarro claimed that no single gallery could ever hold his works. The abundance and intensity of the Bali scenery had put Navarro in peril, who said he had not exhausted his options. Nevertheless, the abstract approach of Navarro was brilliantly demonstrated in his triumphant exhibits. Not so long after this fantastic turn of events, the National Artist would once again head a one-man show dedicated to him by the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in 1995, the “J. Elizalde Navarro: 45 Years of the Artist’s Works.” In the show, notable pieces belonging to his “Return to Abstraction” exhibit were displayed. (P.I.R.)