Lot 216
  • 216

RONALD VENTURA | High at Space I

Estimate
450,000 - 600,000 HKD
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Description

  • Ronald Ventura
  • High at Space I
  • Signed and dated 2010 
  • Oil on canvas
  • 153 by 122.5 cm; 60 1/4  by 48 1/4  in. 

Provenance

Christie's Hong Kong, 26 May 2013, Lot 139
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner
Private Collection, Singapore 

Exhibited

Singapore, Lasalle College of the Arts, "A Duad in Play: Francis Ng & Ronald Ventura", 3 February-3 March 2010

Literature

Artesan Gallery + Studio, A Duad in Play: Francis Ng & Ronald Ventura, Singapore, 2010, illustrated, p. 26

Condition

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There are small pinhole sized accretions scattered on the surface of the work, only visible upon close inspection. Framed, under plexiglass.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

High at Space I is a fantastical and striking piece by one of Southeast Asia’s leading voices in contemporary art, Ronald Ventura. Born in Manila in 1975, Ventura’s works are viewed as a direct confrontation of the plights of modern society, as he draws from consumerist iconographies, popular culture and Eastern and Western folklore to fabricate his illusionistic paintings. With a visual tone that is both shocking and poetic, Ventura’s immaculate brush never ceases to veer away from conflict, as he marks his canvas with references to humanity, war and pollution, and provides viewers with a sobering meditation on modern society. In this present lot, Ventura borrows from one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time, Mickey Mouse, and assembles its iconic black ears onto the helmet of an astronaut. Creating a silhouette that is strangely unrecognisable yet familiar, Ventura renders this hybrid character with the faithfulness of a photograph; as such, this hyper realistic approach reveals the multifaceted nature of his broad imagination, giving way to a realm of both fantasy and conflict. Ventura explores the complex relationship between one’s external reality and internal reality, as a boy with sunken eyes stares blankly from inside the astronaut suit. Ventura often chooses children as the narrators of his artworks, as they lend the canvas an innocent sense of stability, which is aptly juxtaposed by the fictional forms of his creation.

Brimming with implicit social criticism, it is important to look towards the title of this present lot: High at Space I, which retains a balance between illusion and truth, as Ventura composes a dynamic melding of imagery and universes with a monochromatic palette that further accentuates its kinetic tension. With a visual vocabulary that is characterized by an expansive assimilation of fact and fiction, Ronald Ventura is a revered artist who continues to present a fresh dialogue to Southeast Asian contemporary art with his surrealistic and meaningful masterpieces.