Ayni Nuyda unveils father Justin Nuyda’s last work at FilipinaZ Fair 2023

Ayni Nuyda unveils her renowned father’s enduring legacy in the contemporary abstract art scene in the Philippines

Justin Nuyda, a man who left a void. He was a painter, a lepidopterist, and a father to Ayni. Often referred to as one of the Philippines’ finest abstractionists, Nuyda lost his battle with cancer in 2022.

“I didn’t realise how privileged and grounding it was to be surrounded by amazing artists growing up,” says Ayni. Her earliest recollection of being exposed to the arts was attending her father’s gallery exhibitions at age four.

“Now that he is gone, I unravel the other side to his art—it’s more than just aesthetics. There’s always a story going on behind each of his works.”

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Athena’s Whisper is a FIFTHWALL® short film produced by Search Mindscape Foundation to serve as an homage to the late master, Justin Nuyda. It embarks on a cinematic odyssey that breathes life into the maestro‘s masterpiece entitled Search Mindscape: Athena’s Whisper which is one of the painter’s last creations.

Above Athena’s Whisper is a FIFTHWALL® short film produced by Search Mindscape Foundation to serve as an homage to the late master, Justin Nuyda. It embarks on a cinematic odyssey that breathes life into the maestro‘s masterpiece entitled Search Mindscape: Athena’s Whisper which is one of the painter’s last creations.

Ayni brought her father’s last works to light last October through a short film, which interprets the late artist’s oeuvre. Throughout the 10th-anniversary celebration of Zonta Makati and Environs' (ZCME) fundraiser, FilipinaZ: Living Art, Ayni’s project showed Athena’s Whisper.

“I think the theme ‘Living Art,’ for someone who works with Zonta and the art pavilion, is a testament to how all artists and people live through their art and how they can contribute to a legacy that goes beyond life,” Ayni says. “Artists live through their art—sometimes, often beyond what the artist thought it would achieve.”

Ayni worked closely with Fifth Wall Fest’s founding director Madge Reyes for the movie. “Madge reached out to me after finishing her residency with the Asian Cultural Council in New York. She was frustrated because she was overflowing with creative juices that she couldn’t use, so she had this crazy idea to develop a supplementary video.”

Above Abstract painter Justin Nuyda (Photo: Search Mindscape Foundation)

"In my opinion, artists would have the highest form of profession."

- Ayni Nuyda -

Ayni reveals that it was through this experimental project that she could keep her father’s legacy alive. In the coming days, the curator seeks to launch yet another passion project that would allow Filipinos to incorporate her father’s works into their clothing.

“Wearable art,” she calls it. Ayni and her team have yet to find a fabric that best presents her father’s work. “We want to see how it will be perceived right now. The possibility of wearable art not only creates access but also democratises the art without losing the latter’s value. I think it’s a great way for other artists to explore.”

This move resonates with Justin’s call to motivate artists to explore a variety of mediums.

“My dad, even in his old age, always wanted to inspire other artists to do better. He wants them to explore other mediums and other avenues to express themselves.”

Even in his twilight years, Justin continued to do what he did best—brewing works that depict the rise and fall motion of clouds, mists, butterfly wings, and more. The artist seemed to share the same ideals with the late poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who asked whether one should perish if they were forbidden to write.

“I think he achieved more than he could have hoped for. His famous last words were, ‘I will go if I can no longer paint.”

When Justin was admitted to the ICU, he was still very lucid and made sketches daily. “That’s how I would want to go,” says Ayni. She recalls the last two years of the pandemic when his father would continue to produce relevant works. “He was as prolific as he could be. In hindsight, it doesn’t give us a reason as his children to slack off because he could go beyond his physicality; he was just creating, and it’s very inspiring.”

Ayni perceives her father as a “genuine artist” who dedicates his life to his passion and craft.

“In my opinion, artists would have the highest form of profession. This is something that I share dearly with my dad. He would always say artists create. They don’t react. They create in the form of reaction,” she posits.

More exhibitions about her father’s works are in the pipeline. “That’s the bare minimum to me,” she says. “I am also putting it forward more because I see value in it.”

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Ayni Nuyda unveils father Justin Nuyda’s last work at FilipinaZ Fair 2023