Holy Family signed and dated 2005 (right) glass etching #923 11" x 8" x 3 1/2" (28 cm x 20 cm x 9 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by ICA Alumnae Association confirming the authenticity of this lot
PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO “GENY” LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Body & Drapery signed and dated 2006 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" (61 cm x 46 cm)
Isadora in Motion signed and dated 2017 (lower right) watercolor on paper 21" x 29" (53 cm x 74 cm) PROVENANCE: Indigo Gallery EXHIBITED: Gallery Indigo at the BenCab Museum, Take 5 on Aquarelle (A five-generation exhibition of watercolor paintings by Alfredo Roces, BenCab, Elmer Borlongan, Kelly Ramos, and Abi Dionisio), Tuba, Benguet, 11 February - 7 April 2017 2015 marked a historic year for National Artist Benedicto Cabrera. He welcomed the year with the 50th anniversary of his artistic career. With it, he launched a series of retrospective exhibitions in eight museums. With a prolific oeuvre, Bencab: 50 Creative Years is an overview of the lasting muses that followed and inspired him through the decades. Bencab's affinity through the years, as shown by his retrospective exhibits, lies within Filipino sensibilities — his works awash with a warm palette akin to the tropical Philippine weather and a striking Filipino commentary. In 2017, two years after the retrospective, Bencab once again created a masterpiece done after his own heart. Isadora in Motion shows his flair for what art critic Cid Reyes called "the drama for drapery." Inspired by the American dancer Isadora Duncan, Isadora in Motion emphasizes the sweeping action of the dancer's fabrics. Captured at midturn, Bencab takes full advantage of the space, evoking the cascading order of the skirts and the soft rustling of the wind. Isadora in Motion is one of many works in Bencab's collection that feature this dynamic. Arguably, his most famous series, Sabel, evokes the movement of fabric clinging to the body. The earlier Sabel was draped with sheets of plastic depicted in its natural angular manner, and while the later iterations of the woman have evolved from the original inspiration of the vagrant that once frequented Bambang Street, the dramatic movement of her clothes remains. In the lot in hand, Bencab portrays the ephemeral nature of motion and dance; his broad strokes and sweeping colors breathe life into a static image. He captures Isadora "in medias res" and, in doing so, makes the fabric the focal point. It ceases to be an ornament but is now the centerpiece, an instrument that Isadora uses and is concealed by. In a way, the drapery becomes the character itself; its every fold and crease tells a story no other medium can tell. (Hannah Valiente)
Madonna XVIII signed and dated 2013 (lower right) acrylic and ink on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm) PROVENANCE BenCab Museum EXHIBITED BenCab Museum, Madonna: Paintings by BenCab (Part of the "BenCab: 50 Creative Years" celebrations, Tuba, Benguet, 14 July - 4 October 2015 LITERATURE Flores, Patrick D., ed. BenCab: Filipino Artist (Exhibitions Catalog). Tuba, Benguet: BenCab Art Foundation, Inc., 2019. Full-color illustration and painting description on page 113. The image of the Filipino is exalted in the works of Bencab. Throughout his oeuvre (which has been described by art critic Cid Reyes as a “romance with the race”) are images that are dear to the heart of many Filipinos; he weaves into his visually rich canvases the story of a people that are both forged by their shared national history and differentiated by their unique geography which has ensured a strong local provincial culture. In continuing the long-held tradition of the Mother and Child theme in art, Bencab puts his signature Filipino twist in his multiple Madonna paintings. The lot at hand, Madonna XVIII (2017) is among his many depictions of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus. Using his signature warm brown palette, Ben- cab's Madonna is dark-haired and dark-skinned, hair wind- swept and baby bundled close to her chest. Despite the lack of concrete Filipino imagery, there is no doubt from the woman's face to the colors used that this depiction of Madonna is indigenized and Filipinized. Add to the fact the breadth with which he draws the Mother and Child, it speaks then of Bencab’s talent that his creation of the figures has not been exhausted to the point of depletion, with each depiction as unique as the last. The art of Bencab paints the Filipino with a triumph that illus- trates the arduous battle they have continuously faced. From the history of colonization and imperialism whose effects are still prevalent to this day to contemporary concerns that plague its current citizens, Bencab handles these topics with a sensitivity that belies his love for his country and brings about in his works a rich tapestry of the Filipino essence. (Hannah Valiente)
PROPERTY FROM THE LOIDA NICOLAS LEWIS COLLECTION Harvest signed and dated 2000 (lower right) oil on canvas 24" x 18" (61 cm x 46 cm) WRITE UP: Many of Benedicto Cabrera’s women evoke a certain brand of nostalgia that is derived from old sepia photographs. From his portrayal of indigenous women in their butterfly-sleeved dresses to his iconic portrait of the vagrant Sabel, Bencab presents a classic image of Filipino women that spans the almost 60 years he’d spent as an artist. His 2000 Harvest is another iteration of Bencab’s women. Dressed in a bright yellow dress, light denim pants, and a warm blue shawl, the woman holds in her hands a bundle of harvested grains. In a 1978 interview with Cid Reyes, Bencab indulged in his hesitance on using bright colors, stating, “I have always been partial to dark colors and lots and lots of sienna…I just cannot make a good color combination with colors like yellow, orange, and red.” However, the past twenty years seem to have favored Bencab and Peasant Woman portrays his works in a different warmer light. She is far from the tortured Sabel – her relaxed posture and serene smile put her at odds with the frenetic and frantic Sabel – but she contains her archetype with her layers and layers of flowing clothes. Alice Guillermo once wrote in 2007 that the Sabel series is the quintessential Ben Cabrera and while Harvest is not Sabel, it still features Bencab at his finest. Through his innate sense of colors and lyrical composition, this work joins the prestigious ranks of Bencab’s Filipino women. (Hannah Valiente)
Mother and Child signed and dated 1996 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 7" x 5" (18 cm x 13 cm) WRITE UP: In a 1978 interview with Cid Reyes, National Artist Benedicto Cabrera identified two influences in his artwork: the harsh quality of Spanish painter Francisco Goya’s paintings and, for the lot at hand, the German artist Käthe Kollwitz and her work involving the Mother and Child theme. “I was naturally drawn to her work,” said Bencab. “Compared to Goya’s work, Kollwitz’s art is much more tender and sad.” This touch of tenderness is seen in his own rendition of the Mother and Child. In a Bencab-typical painting, the woman is draped in an exorbitant amount of fabric, a study of textiles. Her child is swaddled to her chest, wrapped in the same cloth the woman has around herself. The monochromatic orange used emphasizes the warmth of the scene and the austere atmosphere emphasizes rather than diminishes Bencab’s dexterity. (Hannah Valiente)
PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO “GENY” LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Three Faces of Sabel signed and dated 2008 (lower right) oil on canvas 48" x 60" (122 cm x 152 cm) WRITE UP: I t can be said that Benedicto Cabrera’s iconic muse, Sabel, has two primary and iconic iterations: the scavenger of the 1960s that would not only mark Bencab’s socio-political stances on contemporary issues but his career-defining moment as an artist and the graceful woman garbed in voluminous cloth and exemplifying the beauty of femininity. Throughout his artistic journey, Sabel remained a constant companion to his brush and canvas. Over the years, Sabel has undergone several iterations: from the expressionist madwoman of the mid-1960s, the hard-edged, minimalist variation towards the end of the decade, the abstract expressionistic slashes of femininity of the 1990s, and back to the figurative expressionist lady of the 2000s—the iteration that has become one of the most coveted in Bencab’s oeuvre owing to its graceful composition. Indeed, Sabel has captured not only Bencab’s heart and art but also captivated his audiences, with their attention drawn to the evermetamorphosing image of the woman. In this work titled Three Faces of Sabel—which Bencab painted two years after he was accorded the most venerable title of National Artist for the Visual Arts in 2006—the artist enshrouds Sabel with the sinuousness of the drapery. Here, Bencab’s expressionist flair is discerned; instead of Sabel’s figure animating herself and evoking movement, it is the drapery that evokes reflex and gesture. Drapery animates life itself. The tormented image of Sabel is nowhere to be found in this piece. Instead, Sabel exudes the gracefulness of movement akin to the delicate yet calculated swirling and twirling of a ballerina. The piece is also much in the same vein as Bencab’s series of works beginning in the late 1990s that depict Isadora Duncan, the American dancer and choreographer hailed “The Mother of Modern Dance.” Bencab’s illusion of dynamic energy and constant movement through his rich application of paint and lyrical, voluminous brushstrokes evokes a palpable sense of flesh. The real-life Sabel died in 1972, of which her death was relayed to Bencab. This makes the gap between her passing and Three Faces of Sabel span a long period of 36 years. But with the drapery as an animating force, Bencab immortalizes Sabel, his perpetual muse. (Adrian Maranan)
PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO “GENY” LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Body & Drapery signed and dated 2006 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 24" x 18" (61 cm x 46 cm) WRITE UP: The drama of the draperies is an enduring theme that weaves its way into many of the works of National Artist Benedicto Cabrera. From his early Scavenger Series to his now iconic Sabel Series, Bencab often finds himself drawn to the stories told by those folds and fabrics. He depicts the movement inherent in the drapery clinging to the human body – his Sabels were decked in tattered clothing and plastic to protect themselves from the harsh Manila elements; multiple women grace his canvases, their flowing skirts reminiscent of a photograph Bencab found of dancer Isadora Duncan, his muse for his series Isadora’s Dance. This level of detail on fabric is highlighted with the lot at hand entitled Body & Drapery. A closeup of a woman’s torso, only a sliver of her chest is seen. Instead, the majority of the space is dedicated to the blanket she has wrapped around herself. Every fold and wrinkle are highlighted and with no other markers to go off of, the viewer is left to speculate about the woman herself. The blanket itself is the main character of the story, an almost living breathing form with which the viewer can poke and probe for answers. She, in the same vein as Sabel, is a veritable treasure trove of interpretations and stories woven into an iconic masterpiece. (Hannah Valiente)
Refugees signed and dated 1974 (lower left) acrylic on paper 18 1/2" x 14" (47 cm x 36 cm) PROVENANCE Private collection, Manila WRITE UP: In 1974, two years after Bencab debuted his homecoming, career-defining, and coming-of-age exhibition of his iconic Larawan Series at The Luz Gallery, the artist returned to London, where he had previously settled in 1969 and had met his then-wife, Caroline Kennedy. Back in the British capital, Bencab enrolled at the Camden Arts Centre, where he pursued special studies in sculpture and life drawing. That same year, Bencab produced works imbued with formidable critiques against the socio-political landscape of his home country, then in its second year of martial rule. In this work titled Refugees, we are greeted by a sepia-toned image of a family, with the patriarch leading his kin and the entire household carrying their scanty valuables. There is an immediate aura of vulnerability and anguish that are heightened by the subjects’ facial expressions: fatigued, agonized, and poverty-stricken. Many of Bencab’s works in his Larawan series dealt with the tragic history of the Philippine–American War of 1899 to 1902 (although several groups, including the Moro people, continued the battle against the Americans until they were defeated at the Battle of Bud Bagsak in 1913). The Philippine–American War saw America solidifying its position as the most formidable imperial power at the turn of the century, with its presidents of that period, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, being prominently vocal on their expansionist policies. The war traces its roots to the expansionist policies of the US; it saw the Philippines as a springboard to the lucrative Chinese trade and an “tool” to serve and patronize American business and enterprise. In relation to the brutalities of the said war, there exists primary accounts, mainly from American soldiers whose letters were published by the Anti-Imperialist League (which counted among its members the influential writer Mark Twain) in its 1899 pamphlet “Soldiers’ Letters Being Materials For the History of a War of Criminal Aggression,” which the League used in challenging America’s imperialistic carnage. Guy Williams of the Iowa Regiment writes: “The soldiers made short work of the whole thing. They looted every house and found almost everything, from a pair of shoes up to a piano, and they carried everything off or destroyed it.” Captain Elliot of the Kansas Regiment reveals: “Caloocan was supposed to contain seventeen thousand inhabitants. The Twentieth Kansas swept through it, and now Caloocan contains not one living native.” Anthony Michea of the Third Artillery harrowingly retells: “We bombarded a place called Malabon, and then we went in and killed every native we met: men, women, and children.” There was also the infamous order of Brig. Gen. Jacob Smith to make Balangiga in Samar “a howling wilderness.” He ordered: “I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn: the more you kill and burn, the better you will please me.” In these accounts, one may have a profound insight into how the Filipino masses struggled to run for survival by fleeing from their original pueblo or barrio and settling in a secluded environment, away from the hostilities and bloodshed propagated by the US forces. And this is what Bencab distressingly portrays. Bencab once said in an April 1978 interview with Cid Reyes and published in Conversations on Philippine Art that the idea behind the Larawan “was to make our colonial past reflect on our present.” As a series of works created at a most harrowing period in our country’s recent history, the Larawan Series acts as a mirror in which the present is seen as a continuing past. When liberties were curtailed in the 70s, many Filipinos sought refuge in the masses’ arms, where they lived in solidarity and organized and mobilized the broad range of the oppressed peoples against an authoritarian state; many even went underground and engaged in armed resistance. Much as the Philippine-American War is seen as a continuation of the Filipino struggle for genuine sovereignty at the turn of the century, but this time against a new colonizer, Bencab’s Larawan evokes an unfinished revolution. A sustained resistance. A protracted struggle. A never-ending yearning for genuine national sovereignty and democracy against the roots of the Philippines’ continuing oppression and subjugation. That we must never again let our people be so acquiescent amid brutal imperial powers. While the figures in the work at hand portray passive anguish and the diaspora brought by war, perhaps Bencab galvanizes us—the Filipinos of the present—to confront these societal ills and not just disregard them, an ill-fated situation that would only deliver us to the tribulations of servility and subservience masquerading as illusory refuge. (Adrian Maranan)
Larawan Series signed and dated 2005 (lower right) acrylic on paper 22" x 14 1/2" (56 cm x 37 cm) WRITE UP: This is the bold statement of artist and art critic Cid Reyes in his essay “The Color of Nostalgia” in the 2002 Bencab book. From his earliest works of scavengers to his quintessential Larawan and Sabel series, Bencab’s brush depicts the deep kayumanggi skin of his Filipino subjects, the sepia of the women’s baro’t saya, the brown on the common Filipino household items all done using his “Bencab brown.” This “Bencab brown” as described by Reyes is present in the lot at hand. Painted a year before Bencab was conferred the highly venerable title of National Artist in 2006, the artist depicts a beloved muse – the common Filipino – in a plain camel brown background. The brown-skinned brown-haired figure wears a plain white camisa de chino and pants with their back facing the viewer. In contrast to a frontal depiction, Bencab emphasizes the back of the figure, guiding the eyes of the viewers past the canvas and into the unknown the figure peers into. Bencab had left the country in 1969, settling in London to raise his family before returning permanently to Baguio in 1986. These seventeen years of expatriate life brought about a homesickness that led to him rediscovering his love for his country through maps, prints, and photos he could find in flea markets. Thus, his works carry a certain love for his home country that is tempered with nostalgia and distance. Through the hunched figure in this work, Bencab manages to translate the uncertainty the Philippines faces as well as the yearning for a better and brighter tomorrow. (Hannah Valiente)
Punk Series signed and dated 1981 (lower right) pastel on paper 22" x 16" (56 cm x 41 cm) WRITE UP: The works of BenCab have always contained, in one way or another, the spirit of rebellion Thus ,among Benedicto Cabrera's notable works from the 1980s is a series that celebrates the fervent spirit of the era. This collection, however, goes beyond a mere artistic endeavor; it serves as a dynamic homage to the rebellious spirit of the punk movement, particularly drawing inspiration from the energetic punk scene that emerged in the United Kingdom during the same era. Cabrera's foray into the pop art realm within this series is not merely a stylistic choice; it is a deliberate engagement with the countercultural movement that defined the punk scene in the UK. The 1980s in the United Kingdom witnessed a resurgence of punk, marked by its distinct fashion, music, and antiestablishment ethos. Bands like The Clash, Sex Pistols, and The Damned were pivotal in shaping this subculture, influencing not only music but also visual arts and fashion. In his interpretations of characters from the local punk scene, Cabrera captures the quintessential look, feel, and mood of this counter-cultural movement. The vivid depictions in his punk series echo the rebellious aesthetics and unconventional elements that characterized the UK punk scene. The vibrant energy, bold self-expression, and anti-establishment fervor of this era find resonance in Cabrera's playful yet incisive artistic representations. (Jed Daya)
a.) Untitled handsigned and dated 1977 (lower right) etching 4/20 11" x 9" (28 cm x 23 cm) b.) Untitled handsigned and dated 1975 (lower right) etching 3/12 12 1/4" x 10" (31 cm x 25 cm) c.) Untitled handsigned and dated 1975 (lower right) etching 3 /20 12 1/4" x 10" (31 cm x 25 cm) d.) Untitled handsigned and dated 1975 (lower right) etching 11/20 12 1/4" x 10" (31 cm x 25 cm)
Larawan Series signed and dated 1994 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 48" x 40" (122 cm x 102 cm) PROVENANCE: Acquired from the Cemex Philippines Foundation Auction in 2005 for the benefit of Philippine schools and students WRITE UPThe Larawan Series is highly celebrated and acclaimed as the quintessential Benedicto Cabrera. Here, Bencab has found his trademark—and legacy. It also signaled his artistic coming of age and creative maturation. His inaugural exhibition of the first iteration of the Larawan in 1972 at The Luz Gallery earned Bencab critical praises and rousing success. It gave him his distinct identity marked by his seamless wedding of social commentary and nostalgia and bridging the link between the past and present, between the colonized indio and the continuing struggles of the modernday Filipino. For this, the eminent art critic Alice Guillermo christened Bencab as a precursor of social realism. Fast forward to almost two decades later, Bencab, in the 1990s, was an artist worthy of higher recognition. In 1992, Bencab was conferred the Gawad CCP para sa Sining (CCP Awards for the Arts), the highest award given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, for “his paintings and prints, which offer valuable insights into the Filipinos’ past and present and which exemplify innovative techniques and the highest artistry; and for his leadership in artists’ organizations.” The 1990s was also a decade of heightened international exposure for Bencab, participating in various exhibitions, such as in Indonesia (1992), Singapore (1993), New York (1994), and Tokyo (1995). Amid a shower of acclaim, Bencab’s Larawan endured as the artist’s jewel in his own crown, paying homage and celebrating the series that first gave him serious recognition. An offshoot of the Larawan Series, this 1994 painting from Bencab’s prolific decade depicts four native ladies—three women and one little girl—dressed in their traditional everyday attire of the baro’t saya. The facial expressions of the woman vary, with the woman on the far left radiating sheer delight and high-spiritedness and the other on the far right expressing solemn dignity. Overall, their disposition exudes a resounding expression of their valiant femininity amid a period that encouraged women to be subservient and passive. Huddled together closely, Bencab seemingly alludes to the collective aspiration of the Filipinas in their path to genuine emancipation in two different centuries: the 19th and 20th centuries (Bencab's milieu). Take for instance the successful 1816 strike or alboroto led by the cigarerras (women tobacco workers) of Manila due to low wages, verbal and sexual harassment (by the maestra or female lead worker), and usury, among others. Another shining example were the Young Women of Malolos, whom Jose Rizal addressed in his famous 1889 “Letter to the Young Women of Malolos.” In that interesting episode in Filipina “her-story,” twenty daughters from the principalia class of Malolos successfully petitioned Governor-General Valeriano Weyler to permit them in their plans to open a night school where they could properly study Spanish, for they believed that it was the everyday language used in high-browed discourses, especially in the socio-political arena. For them, learning Spanish is the way to become an erudite person. The Filipina would also figure prominently in the Philippine Revolution, with key figures led by Gregoria de Jesus, Teresa Magbanua, Gen. Agueda Kahabagan, Trinidad Tecson, and Melchora Aquino. Women would also participate in the struggle against the Japanese during World War II, with Remedios Gomez-Paraiso, popularly known as Kumander Liwayway, becoming a commander for the HUKBALAHAP (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon). She even became famous for her trademark red lipstick while engaging in fierce battle. Felipe Culala, known as Kumander DayangDayang, was also a woman protagonist in the resistance movement against the Japanese. She headed one of the earliest guerilla forces in 1942 as part of the HUKBALAHAP. The Asociación Feminista Ilonga, headed by journalist Pura Villanueva-Kalaw, led the fight for the right of women to suffrage. In 1937, more than 400,000 women voted “yes” to a plebiscite calling for the legalization of women’s suffrage (only 300,000 “yes” votes were required). For the first time, the Filipina women possessed the right and privilege of choosing their leaders. Women would again figure prominently in the resistance against the dictatorship. This valiant group included Maria Lorena Barros, founder of the militant women’s organization Malayang Kilusan ng Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA); Liliosa Hilao, activist-writer and the first political prisoner to die in detention during martial rule; and Maita Gomez, the beauty queen-turned-activist founder of the Metro Manila chapter of GABRIELA The 20th century also saw the rise of women’s progressive and grassroots organizations, such as the MAKIBAKA, founded in April 1970 and advanced the fight for national democracy and liberation from neocolonialism amid the looming martial rule. Fourteen years later, in the intensifying resistance against the dictatorship, the GABRIELA Alliance of Women was founded. In this evocative Larawan work, Bencab preserves our connection with our valiant female ancestors who rose in the collective struggle in different eras in history. It is a reminder of our shared identity as lovers of and fighters for freedom— an august declaration of our continuing resistance and relentless affirmation of our nationhood against the ruthless yoke of modern-day societal ills. The work at hand reminds us that the liberation of one oppressed class, such as the women, could only be achieved through the radical emancipation of the broad range of the oppressed Filipino masses from the shackles of an oppressive system propagated by those in power. (Adrian Maranan)
Untitled signed and dated 1996 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 17 1/4” x 10” (44 cm x 25 cm) PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner
Benedicto Cabrera (b. 1942) Larawan Series signed and dated 2005 (lower right) etching and aquatint 1/1 51" x 64 1/2" (130 cm x 164 cm) The evolution of the Larawan series unfolds over three distinct phases, each marking a significant chapter in the illustrious artistic journey of BenCab. The initial installment, aptly named Larawan, took shape during the artist's residency in London. This iteration intricately weaves together portraits of BenCab's fellow artists who had either permanently relocated abroad or were transient visitors. A captivating mosaic of individuals emerges, capturing the essence of those who had departed the Philippine shores. Larawan II emerged as a response to BenCab's encounter with the works of R.B. Kitaj. This encounter infused his creative spirit with Kitaj's memetic visual language, sparking a transformation in his own artistic expression. Larawan II embraces a more streamlined approach, manifesting as a composition both simplified and elevated in its finesse. Within its minimalistic graphical framework, BenCab's affinity for graphical devices takes center stage, illustrating his fascination with subtlety and reductionism. The final phase, Larawan III, represents a revolutionary period in BenCab's artistic evolution. During this juncture, traditional and pre-colonial Filipino concepts are intertwined with the social, political, and economic dimensions of their time. Works imbued with these concepts carry the weight of these multifaceted implications. However, Larawan III emerges as a declaration of emancipation. Here, BenCab extricates himself from the delicate act of balancing these intricate threads, resolutely establishing the artist's primary role as an arbiter of aesthetic confrontation. Despite the distinctions between the three different conceptions of his Larawan series, one aspect seemingly pervades the artistic canon of BenCab; the color brown. This prevalent yet mysterious shade has seemingly cast its shadow not only on the Larawan series, but most of Cabrera’s works. From the many iterations of Sabel down to his more recent outings, the color brown remains ever present in its many forms.Though not as distinct as the duality of black and white, nor as eye catching as the other choices on the color wheel, the appeal of the color brown is pervasive as it is elusive. It is the color of the earth, of the flora that spring forth, of the age that creeps on every thing whose life is due to return to the earth itself. For art critic Cid Reyes: “Brown is the color of Bencab’s art.”. It goes beyond mere artistic choice, and reflects the reality of our Filipino identity. (Jed Daya)
Benedicto Cabrera (b. 1942) Sabel signed and dated 2005 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 40" x 30" (102 cm x 76 cm) Over the span of decades, the esteemed National Artist Benedicto "BenCab" Cabrera has brought forth numerous ethereal representations of Sabel. These depictions are a far cry from the initial impression the artist had upon encountering her during his youth, glimpsing her through a window. Sabel's transformation from those early days is remarkable— originally spotted by the artist in the alleyways of Bambang, clad in plastic coverings and scavenging amidst garbage receptacles. From these humble beginnings, BenCab harnessed Sabel's presence as a wellspring of creative impetus. His artistic explorations of Sabel's essence transcended surface appearances, delving into her inner fortitude. BenCab's approach differed strikingly from the prevalent "male gaze" typical of hypermasculine portrayals of women by other artists. Instead, he opted for a veneration of Sabel, spotlighting her resilience from a reverent standpoint. Through his distinctive perspective, he unveiled the depth and strength that radiated from her being. But even depictions of the icon herself would change and shift within the mind of BenCab himself. Here we see the common visual cue and elements associated with Sabel, yet their form has seemingly departed from BenCab’s initial renderings. What first began as a relatively more intimate and even social affair has blossomed into an inquiry into form and technique. Such a reading coincides with another major series for BenCab, his Larawan series. The aforementioned series of work coincides with an artistic practice that puts a work's technique and form at the forefront. (Jed Daya)
