Tarot 19
signed and dated 1967 (verso)
acrylic and collage on board
13 1/2" x 9" (34 cm x 23 cm)

PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, Manila


Roberto Chabet, the Father of Philippine Conceptual Art, is renowned for his experimental works, ranging from paintings to sculptures to installations created out of everyday materials and found objects. His art has always been informed by the intent to question modernity, where it is his belief that all things are temporal, fleeting, and fluid. Furthermore, Chabet perceived art as a democratizing force, able to liberate one’s artistic pursuits from the arbitrary shackles of traditional art. Hence, he saw his works as liberating given that they no longer adhere to a strict style or form. The oeuvres of Chabet are often regarded as groundbreaking and innovative in their production, execution, and presentation. A sense of a multilayered, multileveled kind of art is present in his pieces. As seen in this 1967 painting titled Tarot 19, his approach possessed a conceptual or out-of-the-box aesthetic that challenged the artistic trends of his era. (P.I.R.)