Venomen publishes two Prints of the master, reflecting his graphic universe, which integrates contemporary art and counter-cultures: an allegory and a vanity whose irony and academicism are to be appreciated by the public.
Manuel Ocampo, a Filipino painter, is a deeply iconoclastic artist, who refutes any theoretical apparatus in his work. His dark and disturbing work seems at first sight to be a very clear language, full of historical, artistic, cultural and sub-cultural references, which are to be interpreted. But in view of his black humor, his desire to go beyond thought and to push the conventions of painting to the point of ridicule, this can only be a delusion...
He is influenced by the Mexican art scene: Frida Kahlo, Julio Galan and Ray Smith, and he is an admirer of Martin Kippenberger. He destructures the classical structure of his images with collages and incisive and gestural brushstrokes, bringing an ingenious touch of punk, kitsch and baroque.
After living in California for 10 years, he now lives and works in Manila. A major artist in the Philippines, his paintings have been exhibited in important international museum collections, as well as at the Seville Biennial (2004), Venice Biennial (2001), Berlin Biennial (2001), Lyon Biennial (2000), Kwangju Biennial (1997)...
