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TOPAZ ARTS’ Co-Founding Artists are currently participating in international projects. The Drawing Room Manila presents a solo exhibition by Todd B. Richmond on view June 15 to July 13, 2024.
The opening included a new performance piece Dance Voyage by Paz Tanjuaquio – exploring movement within the galleries of The Drawing Room Manila, the choreography was inspired by four exhibitions on view – Locality of Being by Paolo Gonzales, Cosmic Swimming Lessons by Matina Partosa, Les Voyage de Bougainvilliers by Todd B. Richmond, Impending Bloom by Ged Merino. View the video >
Les Voyages de Bougainvilliers: Triptych Series A, B, C, is a new series of paintings by Todd B. Richmond, conveying migrations of imagery that once had specific origins but are ubiquitous today.
The central blossom in each painting is inspired by a bougainvillea arbor on a mango farm in Pampanga, which made a lasting impression on the artist during his first visit to the Philippines in the mid-1990s.
These works allude to the time when the bougainvillea began its global voyage, and its origins in South America. Though named after Louise-Antoine de Bougainville, the admiral of the 1766 French expedition, the colorful plant was collected by a botanist’s assistant, Jeanne Baret, who disguised herself as a man to be permitted on the ship’s worldwide circumnavigation.
Dispersed throughout the paintings are plumeria, originally from Central and South America, which have developed varying cultural symbolism over time. Mangoes, also depicted in Richmond’s paintings, are indigenous to South Asia. Just as the bougainvillea and plumeria journeyed to South and Southeast Asia, the mango voyaged across to South America.
The artist often works in series, motivated by the origins and histories of the images in his large-scale paintings. The imagery of woodgrain is a nod to Richmond’s work with the late artist Richard Artschwager, whose influence migrated from New York City to the international art scene. He remains an inspiration for Richmond, having been his assistant for many years.
“When I painted side-by-side with Richard Artschwager in the 1990s, he would say to me ‘add, take away, add, take away’. This phrase continues to influence my approach to painting, as it implies freedom in mark-making and the subsequent actions available to painters. When I paint wood grain, it’s like a continuation of a painting technique we did together.” – Todd B. Richmond
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