JOSÉ JOYA (1931-

1995)
José Joya was a Filipino painter best known for
his Abstract Expressionist works which utilized a
variety of techniques, including controlled drips,
impasto strokes, and transparent layering. “In
creating an artwork the artist is concretizing his
need for communication,” the artist has said of
his practice. “He has an irresistible urge to reach
that level of spiritual satisfaction and to project
what he is and what he thinks through his work.”
His work, often inspired by the tropical wildlife of
his home country, was painted with bold, vibrant
colors. In Hills of Nika, he paints loose, chaotic
strokes of burnt orange, yellow, and turquoise
and in Green Mansions he paints leaf-like
shapes in yellowy-green. Born on June 3, 1931
in Manila, Philippines he attended the University
of the Philippines in 1953. He later pursued a
graduate degree at the Cranbrook School of Art
in Michigan on a Fulbright Smith-Mundt
scholarship. After completing his studies, he
became a member of the Saturday Group, a weekly meeting of artists working in Manila
during which they discussed current artistic trends. Joya showed his works at the
Philippine Art Gallery, the Venice Biennale, the Museum of Philippine Art, the National
Museum, and the Ayala Museum. Joya died in 1995 in Manila, Philippines. After his
death, a retrospective of his work was held at the National Museum in Manila in 2011.

 Untitled (Male Nude)

 ESTIMATE
 PHP 22,000 - 24,000
 1988
 Pastel on paper
 48.2 x 31.7 cm (19 x 12 1/2 in