Honouring his second lease on life and time in seclusion through work, esteemed visual artist Justin “Tiny” Nuyda overcame the odds with a truly significant and storied collection
To describe the year 2020 as an eventful one is an understatement. While navigating a pandemic that has made a significant impact on the world as we know it, we’ve also had to contend with natural disasters as well as political, societal and personal problems that greatly affect how we live. Weathering his own storm was the visual artist and lepidopterist Justin “Tiny” Nuyda, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. As he recuperated from the intensive treatments while on lockdown, Nuyda found himself inspired, particularly by the outstanding quality of care he received in the hands of his doctors.
A pillar of Filipino modern art and a co-founder of the legendary Saturday Group (through which he enjoyed many years of friendship and camaraderie with other local art and literary greats, many of whom were National Artists), the enigmatic Nuyda has been painting for nearly five decades. His works—and many have been hard-pressed to pinpoint exactly what kind of art he creates and which discipline he subscribes to—have a cerebral quality to them. With a combination of lengthy lively brush strokes and striking colours, the landscapes Nuyda commits to his canvasses are gateways to how he sees the world.
