Jayson Cortez

Still Life? Steal Life  

Modern twists of Jayson Cortez

By Hannah Jo Uy

November 28, 2016

 

Filipinos have been known to be humorous even in the face of the darkest realities. Perhaps, nothing displays this more than the clever puns cutting through the urban chaos that pervades Metro Manila. A bakeshop named “Bread Pitt,” a laundry mat named, “Summa Cum Laundry,” the copy center “Pakopya ni Edgar,” a restaurant called “Mami Pakyaw;” and a lemonade stand called “John Lemmon” with the slogan “imagine all the lemons.” Word play, sarcasm, and irony continue to dominate much of our landscape, so much so that playful assimilation has become thoroughly indicative of the Filipino ethos, something that visual artist Jayson Cortez knows too well.

In his latest exhibit, entitled “Still Life,” we see a stunning and realistic depiction of a gun with roses. With his careful, meticulous, and realistic representation, the contrast of the cold hard metal against the delicate velvet petals is striking. The dramatic and mysterious mood, however, is broken by its pun-tastic title: “Steal Life.”

We, as a people, have been known to assimilate western ideas and words into our own framework using our own brand of humor, energy, and spirit to make it truly our own. A fulltime artist making waves in both the local and international art scene, Cortez has cultivated an aesthetic voice that is modern, playful, and innovative leading to visually compelling pieces of art that display his undeniable love for tradition as well as his desire to push the boundaries and explore unchartered territories. The remarkable ability to employ new perspectives in what others might consider as an exhausted genre has been evident throughout his career.

It was during his third year as an Advertising student in Bulacan State University that Cortez realized he wanted to be an artist. It was a simple and deliberate decision that launched him into a prolific career that he, after conquering a number of challenges, continues to thrive in.

With an insatiable desire to accumulate knowledge through books and all other educational platforms, Cortez set about to analyze the grand masters of ages past. “They say there’s nothing original anymore, but that doesn’t stop people from experimenting and trying to come up with something new.”

Admittedly bookish to a fault, research has been a strong suit for Cortez who is unabashed with regards to looking for a way to learn new techniques, ideas, and concepts. Whether from Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook, all information passes through the playground of his mind, filtered by his refined streamlined brushstrokes. The artist found himself drawn to the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Salvador Dali, all of whom greatly impacted his eventual body of work, which presents a mesh of traditional aesthetics and unexpected design elements that make it contemporary. His extensive travels, obsession with nature, and reliance on music have also inspired a world of images and ideas, all of which he stitched together for his visual dialogue. “The world offers many inspirations,” says the artist, “and I grab it. Concept is a key to challenge myself.”

Cortez challenges the very concept of “new,” noting that in the spirit of authenticity, everything will always be original as they are always created by a unique soul with a unique history and a unique background. “The procedure is the same,” he admits, “but the feelings are always new and even before you finish a work a lot of things can happen.” Cultivating a mix of classic techniques and experimentation, Cortez also notes his creative philosophy as: “Always excite and thrill myself first.”

The evolution that he has experienced, reflected in the refined lines, shades, and composition is driven by his hunger for knowledge as well as his humility in facing his own potential shortcomings. He does not only welcome criticism, he thrives on it, “There is no bad critic for me,” he says. “It is always an opportunity to improve my work.”

The default of Cortez continues to be classic art. The painter has a knack for grounding a work with strong conceptual foundation, which becomes a focal point from wherein he expands and pushes his own boundaries, digging into the many depths of the genre. He remains mainly concerned with ensuring that each piece is something that he is happy with, and is committed to “have fun and make fun, while maintaining a strong level of professionalism.”

Figures continue to play a prominent role across his collection, with the artist noting that the colorful spectrum of human emotions and the never-ending layers that can be found within a solitary soul can inspire him to such great lengths in its ability to manifest itself in countless ways. “A simple gesture speaks a thousand word,” says Cortez, whose ability to appreciate the nuances of life knows no bounds.

Perhaps it is because of this that Cortez remains prolific, having completed five solo exhibitions for the past seven years and a number of group shows. He has recently celebrated the opening of his recent exhibition, “Still Life,” at Altromondo Gallery Greenbelt 5. The collection presented the unique take Cortez has on a basic theme familiar to most artists. He injected life into the genre by infusing contradicting design elements that jolt the viewer, making it also distinctly Filipino in context.

The element of play was also particularly prevalent throughout the collection. He maintained the classic overall aesthetic, but there was nothing stagnant about his still life paintings. In fact, they were dynamic and brimming with movement and feelings. In this collection, he explored how tangible objects could be used as vehicles for the story of a people.

The Filipinos, in our romanticism and sentimentality, attach much meaning to objects, and as such they become a narrative that tells of the rich history of a people.

As his work continues to expand into new frontiers, Cortez remains eager for new ways to present old subjects, in his unwavering belief that though there may be nothing new under the sun, one must never stop trying their best to cultivate a certain sense of originality.

The inherent invariable of life, the combinations and permutations of instances that fate can present to us are all nuances that Cortez likes to take advantage of, as he rides the wave of inspiration that ebbs and flows within his consciousness.