Geraldine Javier

Manila, Ateneo Art Gallery, CRITICAL CONDITION: THE INAUGURAL ATENEO ART AWARDS SELECTION, August 6 - September 24, 2004, exh. cat., p. 17, illustrated in colour

Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez, ed., Pananaw: Philippine Journal of Visual Arts vol. 7, Paranaque, 2010, p. 105, illustrated in colour.

This work is in good condition overall. There are signs of wear and handling around the edges and margins, notably on the top right edge of the piece, along with associated scuffs, a minor hairline scratch measuring 2.5 cm (on the margin/edge on the middle left), a minor spot of paint loss, located approximately 27 cm from the right and 39.5 cm from the bottom (between the thighs of the figure). Paint layers are sound and stable otherwise. There is a pen mark on the shirt of the figure. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. The green tones are much more prominent in reality, in shades of aqua and grey. Unframed, on stretcher.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

For Geraldine Javier, emotional suspense and intellectual provocation are crucial elements that characterize her works. By The Tree's Strange Roots was Geraldine's winning piece for the inaugural Ateneo Art Awards in 2004. Monochromatic and painted in varying intensities of black and the artist's signature mysterious blue-green hue - a shade that is reminiscent of the atmosphere of twilight - it depicts anonymous sprawled limbs in the woods. The figure's checkered skirt echo the criss-crossing branches.  Like listening to an aria that's paused just before the soprano reaches the crescendo or watching a scene in a thriller in which a climatic event is about to happen, her paintings are pregnant with anticipation, evoking a subliminally tumultuous sensation and posing profound questions about the nature of pain, suffering, life and death.