Known for his writing skills, Philippines-based artist JJ Duque gave his pens (and pencils) a new roles as he transformed doodles of circles into meticulous works of art. Taking his art full time in the last 3 years, Duque just recently had a solo show at the prestigious ArtistSpace of Ayala Museum, where he showcased frames upon frames of biomorphic patterns in rainbow hues created by concentric circles and round forms to reveal many stories forming a macro perspective of things.
Duque's themes revolve around the elements of texture and the principle of rhythm. Texture is present in the gradient rendering and pointillism while rhythm is evident in the repetition of shapes. All these are achieved through a "stream of consciousness" drawing process in which the artist works without the underdrawing. The process continues with a mantra-like discipline which averages over 40 working hours. Such is Duque's brand of tenacious art making.
From pens & pencils, he's also moved on to capitalize on brush strokes, giving him a different expression on his take on art. While Duque demonstrates the same obsession and reverence for the circle such as artists Nena Saguil and Yayoi Kusama, he has come up with a style and process he can call his own - one characterized by a continuous dissecting and breaking down of daily experiences in the simples and most basic shape - the circle.
Koi 2. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. 20" x 30"
Spawning. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Isla. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A diptych of letter size papers.
Blue Bubbles. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A triptych of letter size papers.
The Beginning Beginning. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Pebbles. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Current. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Cool Summer. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A diptych of A3 size papers.
Inside The Rainbow. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A diptych of letter size papers. (8.5"x11")
Minerals. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. Letter size.
Space Place 2. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Edge of The Universe. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Circles. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Space Place 1. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A diptych of letter size papers. (8.5"x11")
Jenny's. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. Diptych of two A3 papers.
Emer's. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 27" x 40"
Canyon. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Galaxy. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Gumball. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Coral. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Koi Pond. Colored pens & pencils on board paper on sliding wooden puzzle. (Yes, I made the puzzle). 2ft. x 2ft.
KOI. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Rain. Colored pens & pencils on board paper. A3 size.
Starburst. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. A triptych of letter size papers (8.5" x 11")
The Start. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
Wave. Colored pens & pencils on watercolor paper. 20" x 30"
