Geraldine Javier

Christie’s Hong Kong, November 30, 2009, Lot 1120

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas and the glass vitrines. There are indications of normal minor wear and handling around the edges and corners. The paint layers are well preserved. There are some undulations to the canvas which is inherent and consistent to the artist's creative process. Under ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. The colours are quite accurate in the illustrated catalogue although the contrast and texture are more prominent in reality and there is a silvery sheen to the leaves and patterns that are not expressed in the catalogue illustration. The purple is more delicate and the darker shades more layered and finely composed in reality. 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."

“Words are of little importance to Geraldine Javier. The dialogue between her paintings and their audience happens beyond the realm of language, the visual experience evokes sensation without touching on words. Her paintings lock your gaze, turning your attention inwards; time slows.

Paint is pliant in this artist’s hands, transformed from liquid substance into a multitude of textures and forms, from eerily exquisite marble to soft warm cotton worn with time. Brushstrokes are fine, precise, deftly controlled. The manner in which the she handles her materials offers clues about her temperament and personality. Her work exudes calculated restraint and discipline. The artist does not surrender to intuition; she plots out her strategies before getting on with work.”

Adeline Ooi, Kulay-Diwa Gallery of Philippine Contemporary Art, June 2006

Eruption carries a plethora of complex sensations that are translated into the canvas as only Geraldine knows how; through visual senses and imagination lays the tension, mystery and suspense that exude from her canvas. The last piece and bookend of the artist’s seminal Butterfly’s Tongue series, it is one of Javier’s most important artistic breakthroughs in which she actually incorporates her love of entomology into her artworks.

A work of haunting and dreamlike beauty, the viewer is immediately confronted by a majestic gnarled tree, its branches creeping out in all directions, entangling and enveloping the entire picture plane. Scattered in the distant background is a network of foliage delicate enough to appear like lace. Pale and cool, with its bark the whitish green shade of duck egg shell juxtaposed against the powdery lavender of the sky at dusk, the scene is reminiscent of landscape in the winter.

Against the stillness of this tableau, eruption occurs as gilded vitrines seem to burst out from the trees. These glass cases contain jewel-colored preserved insects resting on purple satin cushions richly embroidered with birds. Their resplendent colours dramatically contrast the lack of coloration of the background, as if life is momentarily extracted out of the trees and preserved, only to be unleashed at any given time. When, nobody knows. This state of reverie between discovering what is hidden and concealing what is seen is quintessentially Geraldine Javier.