2 May 2020

After The Deluge, Comes The Dawn: Paintings of Optimism and Hope

As the world struggles against a pandemic of Biblical proportions, Galerie Joaquin presents what it hopes is a timely and relevant project, addressing the issues at hand through the artworks of one of the few remaining living modernist masters of Philippine art.

Triumph of the Spirit

The Galerie is presenting “After the Deluge Comes the Dawn", as Sanso himself came from deep personal tragedy and was a victim of major personal catastrophes and traumas in life. He however, picked himself up, healed physically, emotionally and psychologically and went on to paint artworks that capture an optimistic and positive outlook on life. He was able to banish the angst and trauma; and ended up painting captivating landscapes, seascapes, flowers and sceneries that can only be described as works that depict the triumph of the spirit. His works have been described as timeless odes to the strength of the human spirit against adversity.

Victim of Cruelty and Tragedy

Being a blonde, blue-eyed teenager during World War II, he was arbitrarily picked up Japanese soldiers near their residence in Paco, Manila and brought to the platoon headquarters in a barge by the Pasig river. There he was ordered to kneel down. Having seen how this is the ritual how the soldiers would behead victims he refused to do so. Hence he was beaten and brutally tortured. He was only able to escape when dusk approached and a commotion occurred at the opposite bank attracting the attention of the soldiers. Being a good swimmer, he rolled himself into the Pasig and under cover of the ensuing darkness, swam away. During the Battle for the Liberation of Manila, Sanso was with neighbors in a house in Paco. An elderly gentleman wanted to look out the window so he asked Sanso to trade places. In that very spot where he was a few minutes earlier a shell struck and exploded. There was blood everywhere. Sanso himself was thrown from the shock of the explosion. He lost 80 percent of his hearing on his left ear and this left a permanent damage on his sense of balance. As a result of these emotional and physical scars, Sanso painted a number of dark, morose and grotesque artworks during his Black Period when he had already become a professional painter His images were of death with haunting faces, skulls, black barong barongs among others.

Healing and Tranquility

In time, breathing in nature and the magnificent landscapes of the Brittany coast in France resulted in his healing. For 24 summers, the Le Dantec family, publishers of Ouest France, the largest newspaper in France then, invited Sanso to be with them at their Brittany house. He ended up capturing the majestic Brittany landscape in all its tranquility and drama, most specially its golden sunrise. Sanso would paint tirelessly from the early mornings of summer till nightfall. Eventually, he healed himself of the darkness in his spirit and came up with some of the most illustrious paintings of his career.

A 38-Year Friendship

In 1983, Galerie Joaquin Managing Director Jack Teotico and Sanso met up at the regular sessions of the Saturday Group of Artists (Which included Cesar Legaspi, Ang Kiukok, Onib Olmedo, Mauro "Malang" Santos, Romulo Olazo, and BenCab and Sanso when they were in town) and struck up what is now a 38-year friendship. Through those years, Sanso allowed to sell his artworks initially as a private dealer until Galerie Joaquin was set up and became one of Sanso’s most important dealers. In 2007, Galerie Joaquin had become the main dealer of Sanso’s works. In this 38-year friendship, Galerie Joaquin now selects some of those pieces that have marked Sanso’s view of jubilation, hope, and inspiration. These paintings represent different subjects and various series of Sanso’s very productive and artistic life.