Sketch Marks 3

Art Cube is proud to present Sketch Marks 3, the third iteration of what has become one of the most definitive exhibitions celebrating the art of drawing. Curated by Elmer Borlongan, who also originated the concept, this exhibition gathers a diverse roster of both emerging and established artists—including Plet Bolipata, Kevin Roque, Honey Maglalang, Kiko Capile, Paul Eric Roca, Joen Sudlon, Edrick Daniel, KR Rodgers, Renato Barja Jr., Bea Gison, Guenivere Decena, Aann Reynales, and Jerson Samson—each demonstrating the expressive range and inherent value of drawing as a medium in itself.

As in previous editions, Sketch Marks 3 highlights drawing not merely as a preliminary stage for larger works but as a self-contained, vibrant universe capable of rendering the visible world with startling depth and intimacy. In these works, created using media ranging from graphite to ink to Uni Posca, lines become the vehicle to convey the varied shades, tonalities, and intensities of everyday life, human expressions, and the complex intersections of modern existence.

From a contemporary take on the Biblical Eve to meditation on health and mortality to surreal interpretations of the human body to poignant “souvenirs of a terrible year,” the subjects in Sketch Marks 3 traverse a vast emotional and thematic landscape, capturing mundane luxuries and personal iconographies alike.

The intimate scale of the works allows for a granular view of each artist’s process, where each pigment stroke serves as an immediate record of thought, feeling, and intention. With clarity and purpose, these drawings reveal the initial energy of an idea, its raw creative impulse. In this immediacy, Sketch Marks 3 captures the artist’s inner vision at its most intense and unfiltered—a visceral exploration of both surface and depth.

As Sketch Marks 3 continues to build on Borlongan and Art Cube’s ongoing project, it provides audiences a unique glimpse into the way artists crystallize their visions on paper, sometimes even before transferring these ideas to larger canvases. In an era of growing fascination with the artist’s archive, this exhibition offers an entry point into the artist’s world—a way to witness the creative spark as it first takes shape, embodying the fire and urgency of the artistic journey.