MARK Justiniani (born 1966) is a professional artist based in the United States since 2001.

Born and raised in Victorias, Negros Occidental, he grew up under the watchful eyes of Alfonso Ossorio?s magnificent mural ?The Angry Christ? in the Church of St. Joseph the Worker. He was trained in the practical arts by the Don Bosco brothers, and later studied at the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus. In 2003, the Far Eastern Economic Review cited him as one of five young artists to watch in Asia.

Mark is a social realist, known for the dark humor, visual wit and occasional wordplay in his works, with figures drawn in deft strokes by the artist?s sure hand.

Aside from ?The Angry Christ,? Mark was influenced by the works of Edvard Munch, Francis Bacon, as well as the guidance and inspiration of Filipino artists Onib Olmedo, Bencab and Santi Bose.

Over the years, Mark has worked on a variety of materials?canvas, plywood, old wooden doors and panels, stainless steel and mirrors, using oil, acrylic, pastel and the occasional coffee stain (?Daong,? a series shown at Starbucks 6750 in Makati).

In his show for the 13 Artists Award in 1994, he explored the possibilities of jeepney art?with works in stainless steel, decked with stickers and decals, and accessorized with mirrors and plastic.
Mark used modern stainless steel, plastic and glass to illustrate the colonial experience, especially with the three main pieces of the exhibit??Okupado,? ?Edukado? and ?Kristiyano??tracing the dynamics of American colonial education, and its consequences in today?s political and economic realities.

Eight years later, it was followed by his exhibit ?2002? in Duemila Gallery which showed his latest experiments with the medium.

His most recent show comprised works on wood. Mark no longer knows what prompted him to paint on wood. It started in college when he would sometimes paint directly on plywood, perhaps out of laziness (not wanting to stretch then prime the canvas).

Masterpieces on wood

Many people do not realize that many of the masterpieces of classical art were, in fact, painted on wood, among them: Leonardo da Vinci?s ?Mona Lisa? (1503-05); Botticelli?s ?Birth of Venus? (1492); Jan van Eyck?s ?Arnolfini Wedding Portrait? (1434); Hieronymous Bosch?s ?Garden of Earthly Delights? (1505-10).

This is to be expected, given that wood was one of the more abundant resources available to painters and other artists throughout the Medieval Ages, the Renaissance and well into modern times.

In the Philippines, there is also a rich tradition of religious art in wood, such as the urnas of Bohol?devotional wood altars painted in bright tropical hues that reflect the native genius in both carving and painting.

There are also carved and painted stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) done in relief (relleves), santos, retablo altars and other visual works done in a mixture of European, Chinese, and animistic, primitive styles. All these are examples of the way Filipinos assimilated the Catholic faith into their own native traditions and practices.

In 1991, Salingpusa had a show??Icons,? in the Antipolo residence of art patron Dr. Joven Cuanang, after the group spent weekends painting the doctor?s collection of antique santos and found that they had enough to mount a show. The works were hung on makeshift wooden boards set in the garden.

Mark finished two watercolor art works the night before the show. Looking around, he found two wood planks, and used these to paint the image of the Virgin of Antipolo, and the ?Pieta? from the doctor?s collection, in time for the next day?s show.

Mark made the rounds of the second-hand lumber stores along Laong-Laan in Sampaloc, looking for old wooden door panels (bandehas). Four of these works found their way to the ?Flora? group show?also in 1991?in Antipolo, followed by another series ?Santo-santohan? at the Hiraya Art Gallery in 1994.

Works for son

Mark also did ?Kwento ni Wanggo? (1996) a sold-out show that consisted exclusively of oil- on-wood paintings depicting a character he created for his then toddler son.

Through the years, Mark has come up with remarkable works in this genre?the ?Prinsipe? series, which show highlights of the beloved tale of the Little Prince from Asteroid B-612; ?Bighani? which depicts the allure and beauty of flickering candlelights; and other works that highlight his fascination with the sun, moon and stars.

Many of his works from the late 1990s show the concerns of suburban newly-weds: getting a roof over their heads, providing for the children?s education, their dreams and aspirations.

In 1997, collaborating with Karen Flores, he wrote the story and drew the pictures for the children?s book ?The Chair King.? The artworks for the book were also featured in yet another sold-out show in Boston Gallery.

Aside from literary, magical and mythical themes, Mark also draws from a deep well of memories and observations about the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Serving as sacristan (altar boy) in church services as a youth, Mark was an eyewitness to the foibles and frailties of the men and women of the Church.

Altogether, Mark has made about 100 works in wood in various sizes, many of which in the extensive collection of modern Philippine art of Cuanang, and other collectors in the Philippines and abroad.

He also has a faithful circle of collectors for his canvases, pastels, jeepney art and drawings.

Mark has also experimented with limited edition mono silkscreen?yet another take-off in a different medium.

What Mark finds interesting and challenging in working on wood is the unique characteristics of each panel. Some are smooth, some not. Some are more and some less, absorbent. The surface of the material plays a big part in the work itself.

He sometimes leaves certain areas unpainted and incorporates the image to blend with the natural wood surface. He describes the material as ?nostalgic? and ?a rich ground for presenting conflicts in contemporary life.?

In contrast, painting on canvas is ?more about the paint than the canvas.? The artist?s challenge lies in the underpaint color, the thickness of paint application, when to reveal strokes, when to glaze, or when to apply paint with the palette knife.

Recently, Mark has taken to ?studying his canvases more.? He enjoys working with stainless steel and mirrors, decals, stickers?what he calls ?jeepney materials??and found objects because each medium has its own personality and is difficult to manipulate to be otherwise.

?The object itself embodies the message. I would like to acknowledge the material and not control it too much?to just grasp the essence of what I am trying to say. In order to do that, the medium has to retain its presence, and not to force it to appear like something else. This will take time and practice. I don?t really know for how long. For now, I would like to head in that direction,? he says.