{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":57487,"auction_id":116,"set_id":150,"lot_number":"64","artist":"Lee Aguinaldo (1933 - 2007)","title":"Gift","starting_price":1400000,"signed_dated":"signed, titled, and dated 1957 (verso)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"20 1/2\" x 42 1/2\" (52 cm x 108 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":"A gift from the artist to Gregorio Trinidad, Sr., thence by descent to his\nson, Gregorio Trinidad, Jr.","exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"Lee Aguinaldo belonged to the first wave of abstract expressionists in the Philippines. His oeuvre, ranging from abstraction to pop art and mixed media, Aguinaldo was a versatile artist who didn’t shy away from precarious experimentation. He is what traditionalists consider an “outsider artist,” stemming from his selftaught background in art and his education in architecture, as noted by Ma. Victoria Herrera, in a chapter of the book “The Life and Art of Lee Aguinaldo”. Aguinaldo was expected to follow the affluent path set by the family tree, but he digressed.<br><br> In 1949, during Aguinaldo’s stay at the Culver Military School in Indiana, he was notably struggling with his academics but excelling in his art classes. It is a phase in Aguinaldo’s life that art critics proclaimed to have fueled his artistry. As a young artist in the midst of discovery— absorbing influences, deviating from his parents’ expectations, and navigating uncertainty—Lee Aguinaldo found Abstract Expressionism.<br><br> Aguinaldo established himself through his unconventional yet intellectual approach to art, supported by the mentorship of prominent artists like Arturo Luz, Roberto Chabet, and Fernando Zóbel. At just 19 years old, he exhibited alongside artists who would later be recognized as Modernist Masters and Neo-Realists, including himself. Fresh from New York, Aguinaldo joined the Manila art scene, bringing with him Western-American influences and an oeuvre inspired by artists like Rothko and Pollock. Eccentric about learning art, He was in and out experimenting with different art styles, appropriating and applying techniques of artists he finds fascinating.<br><br> In the late 1950s, during the peak of his youth, he delved more into the absorption of Zobel and Arturo Luz’s drawings. He also explored the lyrical abstraction works of French artist George Mathieu, which inspired him to create more abstract landscapes during this period. In 1957, he balanced his family responsibilities with his artistic career by working in his father's business in Maco, Davao, while simultaneously developing his career in Manila, as noted by Ma. Victoria Herrera. His dedication led to his third so exhibition in 1959, showcasing works influenced by Pollock and Mathieu.<br><br> \"Gift\" is a significant work that showcases Lee Aguinaldo's experimentation during the 1950s, contributing to the ongoing debate among art critics of that time: \"What is Philippine art?\" Rather than seeking an answer to this question, Aguinaldo concentrated on creating his mindscapes, which led him toward a more innovative form of abstraction and a visual language that developed into a series of works. This piece displays the essence of a seasonal tradition of gift-giving and receiving as seen in the interplay of festive red and green. It illustrates Aguinaldo's gradual transition from Pollock-inspired gestural lines to a style influenced by Mathieu, evident in the composition of this piece. True to its title, \"Gift\" was indeed a present that Aguinaldo gave to Gregorio Trinidad, Sr., which was later passed down to the junior. (Paulette Neri)","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":null,"alias":null,"hp":2800000,"bp":0.2016,"isWithdrawn":0,"accounting_hp":2800000,"userBid":null,"isPaid":0,"userId":22,"lot_status":"SOLD","isDone":1,"bid_history_id":null,"reserve_price":null,"hammer_price":3364480,"fav":0},"image":[{"id":61975,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/116/150/lot/64.jpg","isFeatured":1}]},"increment":[2200000,2400000,2600000,2800000,3000000,3200000,3400000,3600000,3800000,4000000,4200000,4400000,4600000,4800000,5000000,5500000,6000000,6500000,7000000,7500000,8000000,8500000,9000000,9500000,10000000,11000000,12000000,13000000,14000000,15000000,16000000,17000000,18000000,19000000,20000000],"prev":63,"next":65,"count_bid":0,"bid_history":[],"tokenExpired":1}