The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas which is clear and taut. Indication of minor wear and handling around the edges of the painting, but paint layers are well preserved. Under ultraviolet light inspection reveals no evidence of restoration. Unframed, on Stretcher.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"The identities of objects and peoples are revealed and concealed in the silent words of Filipino artist Nona Garcia... [She] seems to play with both by creating works that are detached, but powerfully evocative... thus creates a highly charged set of tensions that document and showcase the relationships between form and space".

- Ode to Art Contemporary, 2013

In the painting Sitting Still, Nona Garcia continues to redefine portraiture against a volte-face in representation. The fourth portrayal is the re-enactment of the same scene and figure (e.g. the sitter facing the opposite direction), extracted from a different point in time and existence, to provide us with yet another persona and identity. The recurrence of portraits in Nona Garcia's art elevates them through the different characters that exist in each new setting. The artist's ongoing series has begun to symbolize a new form of expression within the art of portraiture. Therefore as the woman turns her face, the body's facade becomes the main force of recognition, as means to project a c🅠oncrete identity that may not be evident in mere appearances.

The view of the woman's back claims a new identity, but it is without expression, concealed forever from us. Therefore individuality becomes centered on the subject : The way she has her hair down, how she is dressed, or even how the light falls on her clothes and skin. All these details challenge the viewer to understand the woman's new identity, and to question her relationship with the artist. These elements have been rendered naturally, for the artist leaves out any mark of personal expression. Sitting Still projects th🌊e flatness of a photograph, but also goes beyond the photo-realist stance. The work uses photography not simply for visual accu🍌racy, but to replicate the casual nature of a portrait snapshot that highlights the posture, practical lighting, and stillness that may be found in photographs.

Nona Garcia is one of the few artists from the Philippines who can transform painting as a medium. Throughout her oeuvre she continues to display a clarity to resolve mysteries without using metaphors. Sitting Still extends beyond these methods of representation that may be fꦐound in conceptual ideas.