On view at West Gallery (West Avenue, Quezon City) from May 23 to June 10 are Jojo Lofranco’s new works in acrylic and charcoal pencil. This time, in Color Blind Casting, Lofranco chooses to do more with less color.
Lofranco describes the change from using a colorful palette to going monochromatic, particularly earthy copper and gold, as if it is a theatrical play with a new cast, thus the title, Color Blind Casting. While he has shown in his appreciation for technique, formation, drama, and colors, Lofranco says that the spontaneous process appeals to him the most. He paints freely and without restrictions. He lets his creative instincts lead the way. He doesn’t like planning beforehand lest it leads to disaster or something totally different from what he wanted in the first place. He’d rather be careful about preserving the natural flow of his brushstrokes, from the first marking that he makes to the very last signature stroke.
As he does with other hues in his past exhibits, Lofranco treats copper and gold with the same distinction, executing them so vividly as a skilled colorist would have done if given a wider spectrum. Lofranco lets the lines and the textural effects in each piece speak for themselves, enjoining the viewer to come up with an interpretation or two of his own. As much as Lofranco uses visual elements to catch our eye, he also tries to reach out to our emotional chords.
Incidentally, Lofranco, a 3rd place winner in the painting category at the 55th AAP Annual Art Competition in 2002, began his career in photo-realism. The shift to abstraction opened up new choices and more room to express his ideas as well as to speak to his viewers through different visual cues. A Fine arts graduate from the Philippine Women’s University Institute of Fine Arts and Design, Lofranco hopes to create more challenging abstract works, “regardless of materials, space and time.”
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