In bloom: Filipino artist Ronald Ventura sets new record at Christie’s

MANILA, Philippines — An ode to transformation, a tableau of discovery and dislocation, an electric, uneasy tango between the ethereal and the mechanical in a world defined by wealth and technological progress. You can sense those concepts in Ronald Ventura’s latest record-breaking piece at the recent Christie’s auction in Hong Kong.

The artist says his “State of Bloom” painting employs elements of nature, machinery and anything in between to convey its narrative. And bidders have responded to that narrative positively.  

The Art Newspaper reports how “State of Bloom” sparked some of the most intense and competitive bidding of the entire event. The oil-on-canvas artwork was bought directly from the artist, and “with bids bouncing back and forth between Christie’s team in Singapore over the phone, the painting eventually sold for a record-breaking HK$36.6 million (approximately ?265 million) including fees. This sale nearly doubled Ventura’s previous record of HK$19.4 million (?120 million), set at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2021.”

Taking our gaze away from the numbers and concentrating on what the painting communicates, we can marvel at how the work itself is both impressive and unsettling. It draws the viewer in with its beautiful details and complex composition, yet it leaves an underlying sense of ambiguity, questioning the relationship between humanity, nature, technology and material wealth.

What’s with the astronaut? According to Ventura, the astronaut, a figure often associated with exploration and the unknown, suggests a push towards new frontiers — whether they be in space or in society.

What about the exit sign? He explains, “It can be seen as a metaphor for a way out or an escape, possibly indicating that this sudden influx of wealth comes with its own set of challenges, leading to a potential exit from the past or traditional ways of life.”  

On the left side of the painting, a woman integrated with mechanical parts suggests a fusion of humanity and technology. The presence of gears, engines and machinery evokes themes of industrialization, the impact of technology on nature, or even the mechanization of human experience. In contrast, the other side