|
This is a special
painting created for the president of the U.S. Domino
Federation. It is tribute to the legacy Manuel Oquendo has left
in the Professional World of Domino. Created in the artist’s
signature style called Mosaic Impressionism, which is a
combination of classical painting techniques and modern optical
illusions. When viewed up close, one can see many symbols which
pay homage to the accomplishments of the subject, but while
viewed from a distance or by squinting one’s eyes, the portrait
of the subject is revealed.
Among the symbols visible in the foreground,
one can find a majestic Lion. The lion is representative of the
city of Ponce in Puerto Rico, which is the place that witnessed
Manuel’s childhood. Manuel was instrumental in introducing the
game of Domino as a recreational and educational tool to the
Orange County Educational System. Manuel is the proud holder of
two consecutive Guiness World Records for organizing the largest
gathering of domino players to play simultaneously, represented
in the painting by the Guiness Star and Column Logo. Finally, on
the upper right corner, in the area that represents the
subject’s forehead, one can see a group of books, including one
by the late William Almodovar who was a dear friend of Manuel. |
