Canned Thoughts | May 4 - June 1, 2024 Canned Thoughts Carlo Tanseco May 4 - June 1, 2024 DSC07542.JPG DSC07542.JPG 1/9 View Catalogue Video Press Release Across the neighborhoods of the Philippine archipelago, from the tiniest shanty to the grandest mansion, canned goods stand as ubiquitous symbols of sustenance and familiarity. They line the shelves of sari-sari stores and supermarkets alike, bridging socio-economic divides. Among those about to live or work abroad, they carry these items in suitcases as they serve as steadfast reminders of home. Within this commonplace canvas that Carlo Tanseco’s solo exhibition, Canned Thoughts, finds its inspiration. With ingenuity and wit, the artist appropriates the labels of these everyday items, transforming them into conduits of humor, puns, mottos, and motivational statements. Working under the tradition of Pop Art, Tanseco cleverly re-interprets the names, branding, and other distinctive features of these household staples. By breathing new life into these mundane objects, he invites viewers to linger and contemplate the altered text that adorns the gallery walls. As visitors navigate through the exhibition, they are greeted with a playful reimagining of familiar objects, each bearing the imprint of Tanseco’s unique perspective. Whether it’s a tongue-in-cheek slogan or a poignant reflection on the Filipino experience, Canned Thoughts offers a refreshing take on the symbols that unite us and the stories that define us. Larger-than-life, the pieces blur the lines between two- and three-dimensionality, serving as both paintings and sculptures. Some works are offered as prints, echoing the repetition found on store shelves and further emphasizing their status as cultural touchstones. Tanseco’s vision extends beyond the confines of traditional gallery spaces. In a nod to the communal spirit of Filipino culture, he constructs a makeshift sari-sari store installation, complete with colorful snacks and candies for visitors to partake in. Here, amidst the whimsy of his creations, one can’t help but be drawn into a deeper reflection on the complexities and nuances of contemporary Filipino identity. Canned Thoughts not merely celebrates these pantry staples and what they portray but also affirms the resilience, resourcefulness, and optimism that define the Filipino spirit. In his exploration of humor, culture, and the mundane aspects of daily life, Tanseco invites audiences to reconsider the ordinary, finding beauty and meaning in these ever- present consumer goods. Carlomar Arcangel Daoana

Leaving Marks | October 7 - 28, 2023 Leaving Marks Shannah Orencio October 7 - 28, 2023 1/6 View Catalogue Video Press Release Leaving Marks In the delicate dance between art and nature, Shannah Orencio emerges as a trailblazer, challenging conventional perceptions of still life. Her latest exhibition, Leaving Marks, showcased at Art Cube, is a testament to her evolution in interpreting the genre, offering viewers a vibrant tableau where flowers, devoid of traditional vases, find their place in artfully arranged confinements, each bloom jostling for attention in a harmonious dance of colors and shapes. Orencio’s still lifes are not just arrangements; they are living narratives, inflected with an autobiographical strain, vibrant with the spirit of optimism and a celebration of life. The title, Leaving Marks, takes on a profound significance as it unveils the essence of her artistic journey. Instead of depicting images indicative of the places she visited post the nationwide lockdown, including Tagaytay, Tokyo, Germany, and Copenhagen, Orencio opts for her signature approach. Her canvases are adorned with the native flora of these locales, a conscious decision to capture the essence of these places through the prism of their natural beauty. The flowers, meticulously depicted in an accumulation within a box, become metaphors for the diverse landscapes she encountered. Rather than relying on the familiar landmarks, Orencio invites us to recognize the intrinsic connection between a place and its indigenous flora. Through her meticulous strokes, we discern the heartbeat of cities and regions, the unseen yet omnipresent natural features that contribute to their unique identity. In her own words, Orencio shares, “Traveling can leave a profound impact on individuals, shaping their character, values, and worldview, and leaving them with a collection of experiences and memories that become a part of their identity.” This sentiment reverberates through her art, where each bloom becomes a living memento of her journeys. The canvases are not merely paintings; they are windows into the artist’s encounters with diverse landscapes, people, and cultures. Leaving Marks indicates a complete departure from the constraints of life during the pandemic, a celebration of newfound freedom to roam and travel. In her exploration of different places, Orencio allows herself to be molded by the changing scenery and the people she encounters. The exhibition becomes a chronicle of her emancipation from the confines of indoor life, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of travel. Through these works, Orencio not only leaves marks on her canvases but imprints the memories of her journeys onto the collective consciousness of her audience. Her floral arrangements—a riot of colors and shapes—serve as portals into the beauty and diversity of the world around us. In Leaving Marks, Shannah Orencio invites us to join her on a journey, not just across landscapes but through the very essence of life, as she leaves her indelible marks on the canvas. Carlomar Arcangel Daoana Shannah Orencio Having graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines, Diliman with a Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Visual Communication (2012-2016), Shannah Orencio departed from her budding multi-media and illustrating career to focus on freelancing as an exhibiting visual artist. “..Orencio’s practice and process exhibit gestures of closeness, careful observations, and attention to personal subjects. This care extends beyond the canvas and herself, as the artist even chose painting frames that resemble boxes- allowing the audience access to the intimacy that the works carry as she saw them. Moreover, the dried flowers, leaves, twigs, and plants in actuality are not as colorful as the artist visually depicts, yet by consciously choosing to portray them vividly in spite of their states of decay, it imbues the work with the artist’s hopes.” -John Alexis Balaguer The artist has participated in several exhibitions, both local and international, and held her first solo exhibition at the Pinto Art Museum on the 5th of November, 2017.

Tunay na pangalan ng hindi kilalang anino | March 04 - March 25, 2022 Tunay na pangalan ng hindi kilalang anino Doktor Karayom March 04 - March 25, 2022 1/5 View Catalogue Video Press Release “TUNAY NA PANGALAN NG HINDI KILALANG ANINO” Update mo na yung bio mo...... nakita ko ang sarili ko na tumulala , umikot ang itim ng dalawang hindi pantay na mata palubog nangangatal ang mga ngiping dilaw at sungki hinigop ako ng aking sarili mula sa buntong hininga bago umubo napunta sa loob ng aking utak na may studio apartment ang laki at may nakasulat na pabrika.. dito ko niluluto yung mga ideyang napupulot ko sa labas ng mata ayus din dito.. may litrato ng pamilya ko, kabiyak, kaibigan at mga aso.. may tubig at baso..........maraming insenso... may isang upuan na nabili ko sa divisoria mall na buti mura lang.. may uupuan na din ako pagkatapos mangalay sa bigat ng dinadala na hindi ko maintindihan ko saan ko dadalhin.. tahimik akong dumadaldal na din... may sulok dito sa lugar na ito kung saan ako umiiyak ng tahimik dito ko sinasanay umiyak gaya ni jaclyn jose, yung iyak na makakatulog ka pagkatapos... pinahinga ko muna ang aking sarili sa pag ukit at hulma dahil sa katawang tao ko na tumatanda na pala.. isang buwan na pahinga lang ang ginawa ko.. baka kasi magtampo... may isang gamit akong kinatatakutan..yun ay ang langis... hindi ko kasi alam kung paano ito gamitin.., ang tagal pang matuyo.... ilang araw ko din itong may takot na sinusuyo.... hanggang sa ako’y kusang nagpayanggaw sa kapangyarihan nito ipinahid ang langis sa katawan para mag iba ng anyo.. ako pa rin naman ito... nagdagdagan lang ng pangil at pakpak tumalas ang kuko gaya sa dila at utak,,, dala na rin ng takot ko sa hinaharap.. hinarap ko din ang takot kong dala.. panibagong gutom na nadarama naghahanap ng puso..........para malamnan ang kalam ng sikmura.. sana makalipad ako ng mas malayo...... hindi ko na hahabaan ang write up ko na to. alam ko naman na tinatamad ka ng basahin ang pinagsasabi ko... tuloy po kayo.... - Doktor Karayom Russel Trinidad Russel Trinidad is a Filipino Artist that dove into the local art scene initially as a graffiti artist painting murals on abandoned buildings. Trinidad graduated with a degree in Fine Arts at the Technological University of the Philippines. He masked behind his street name “Doktor Karayom” for his street art. Trinidad continued his street art while holding exhibitions for his red paintings and sculptures. He found success in art competitions, first winning a t-shirt design contest for a local fashion brand, the Thirteen Artist Award in 2018, and was nominated to participate in the Ateneo Art Award in various years. For his upcoming solo exhibition, “Tunay na Pangalan ng hindi Kilalang Anino”. He wants to narrate the truth about his name and his experiences in life, as a son, as a partner, as a friend, and as an individual in the Art industry. The exhibition is about fear that can’t be seen but can be felt.

Panaghoy Renato Habulan September 6 - 27, 2025 Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image 1/12 Panaghoy In the encroaching darkness of our present time, structured by the stark inequities of the nation’s political economy, it may seem redundant to return to the heavy realities that have long shadowed our collective memory. Yet Renato Habulan’s practice, tempered in the crucible of the 1970s dictatorship, reveals how these brute conditions endure, most visceral in the vigilante killings of the drug war. In Panaghoy, Habulan gathers death not as closure but as passage, a site from which to knock upon the doors of conscience, making visible the grief and sorrow that throb within these unhealed wounds of history. For this exhibition, Habulan unveils an installation, a series of bocetos, and a set of larger paintings. His installation, an assemblage of wax and wood, is an extension into the sculptural register, where remembrance and mourning take on corporeal density transfigured into forms at once fragile and luminous. In the bocetos, chromatic contrasts pierce through the compressed pigments, with their sharp and thickly laid strokes behaving like visual heartbeats. These chromatic incisions, carried into the larger paintings, find further pulsation through the translucent strata of wax, opening veils of depth that fracture and suspend perception. In this play of opacity and transparency, Habulan makes tangible the gravity of his subjects while exposing the paradoxes that underlie them: the burden of history rendered both material and spectral. Amidst the imagery of death, Habulan’s works conjure pregnant moments, births wrested from endings, where life reaches a pinnacle through sorrow-laden and violently tender points of transitions. '-Janine Go Dimaranan Renato “Ato” Habulan Renato “Ato” Habulan (b. 1953) is a social-realist painter known for depicting labor, dignity, and the struggles of ordinary Filipinos. A graduate of the University of the East, his work was shaped by his early life in Sunog Apog (Smokey Mountain) and his involvement with the artist group Kaisahan during Martial Law. He received the Thirteen Artists Award (CCP, 1990), the Professional Achievement Award from UE, and has exhibited locally and abroad using mediums like oil, watercolor, graphite, and assemblage. 1/1

AI: Artificial Identity | June 7 - 28, 2025 AI: Artificial Identity Demi Padua June 7 - 28, 2025 1/8 View Catalogue Video Press Release In Artificial Identity (Ai), Demi Padua turns his gaze toward the shifting landscape of creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. With a few well-worded prompts, tasks once reserved for trained specialists—architects, designers, artists—can now be carried out by anyone. This democratization, while remarkable, brings with it a quiet unease: when the process of becoming is replaced by instant simulation, what happens to the integrity of the self? For Padua, identity is not something one simply adopts—it is something built, shaped through time, practice, and experience. The sudden ease with which one can generate images or ideas, detached from the rigors of making, presents what the artist calls an “artificial identity.” It is an identity untethered from labor, from the gestures of the hand, from the long apprenticeship of thought and form. In this suite of paintings, Padua explores this concern through a layered visual language. Human figures appear like masks or vessels, their forms animated by inner machinery—wheels, cogs, and circuits that suggest a hidden engine. Rather than tools we direct, these mechanisms seem to be directing us. In this inversion, the human becomes the surface, while technology moves behind and beneath, shaping the visible self. Much of contemporary life now unfolds in virtual space—negotiated through screens, shaped in the cloud—and Padua voices a growing fear: that as we lean more heavily on technology, we risk eroding the texture of lived experience. Still, the artist resists a position of total rejection. Some of the technical motifs in these works were themselves generated through AI, yet it is through painting—through the physical act of reworking and reimagining them—that Padua reasserts authorship. In doing so, he offers a path forward: one where AI is not a replacement for human insight, but a collaborator in the process of discovery. Used with intention, it can expand our ways of learning and seeing; left unchecked, it may supplant the very conditions that make identity meaningful. For Padua, painting remains one of the few spaces where agency can still be exercised fully. It requires presence, reflection, and care. It affirms the artist’s hand, the artist’s voice. In a world where identities can now be generated in seconds, Artificial Identity (Ai) reminds us of the value of the slow, the studied, the real. -Carlomar Arcangel Daoana

FMLA | March 13 - April 4, 2026 FMLA Julio Jose Austria March 13 - April 4, 2026 1/6 View Catalogue Video Press Release FMLA To encounter Julio Jose Austria’s paintings is to recognize them not as fixed endpoints, but as traces—residual evidence of a life negotiated across geographies, labor, and care. In this sense, his practice recalls the expanded ethos of Joseph Beuys, for whom the artwork functioned less as an autonomous object and more as a document of lived experience and social reality. Austria’s canvases operate similarly: they are records of endurance, migration, and interior weather. Austria belongs to a generation of immigrant artists who arrived in New York City with both ambition and necessity. For many, the city carries the aura of a cultural capital—a proving ground as much as a destination. Raised in a working-class family in the Philippines, the son of a music professor and an engineer, Austria migrated without generational wealth or institutional backing. He was the first in his family to build a life abroad. That trajectory—marked by risk, discipline, and obligation—forms the emotional substratum of his work. His early impressions of New York persist in the palette and atmosphere of his paintings: concrete grays, industrial shadows, sedimented dirt, and the compressed light of a skyline where open sky feels rationed. The “concrete jungle” is not rendered descriptively; rather, it is metabolized into texture and tone. Austria does not paint the city so much as he paints through it. His compositions resist direct representation, instead assembling fragments of memory from oscillating returns between New York and Cavite, Philippines. These canvases become sites of overlap—between departure and return, density and openness, fatigue and release. In the work entitled Algorithm of Decay (oil on canvas), this condition of labor becomes both image and allegory. The painting suggests the impression of a carabao—its silhouette indistinct, nearly dissolving into the field it labors within. There is no definitive form, only the sense of a body working endlessly: waking in the morning, returning at night, and continuing to plow without pause. The exhaustion of a laborer worked to death is not depicted literally. Instead, Austria turns to symbolism. Much like Guernica by Pablo Picasso—where the brutality of bombing is not shown directly but refracted through horses and bulls in chaotic anguish—Algorithm of Decay refuses illustration. The carabao becomes an emblem of cyclical endurance, of a body subsumed by obligation. Its fading contour suggests not only physical depletion but the slow erosion of identity under repetitive strain. The “algorithm” here is routine itself: wake, labor, return, repeat. Decay is not sudden—it is cumulative. Though comparisons may be drawn to the anxious yet playful surfaces of New York–based painter Joe Bradley, Austria’s visual language is distinctly his own. His brushwork vacillates between tension and improvisation. Fields of muted color are interrupted by gestural marks that feel at once urgent and searching. The paintings hold uncertainty without collapsing into despair. They stage vulnerability as an active condition—one that allows for moments of levity, even joy. For Austria, painting is not an escape; it is the one medium capacious enough to contain exhaustion alongside hope. The title FMLA sharpens this interplay between abstraction and lived reality. In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act grants eligible workers time away from employment to care for an immediate family member. Austria, who for over a decade supported himself as a staff member at the Museum of Modern Art, invoked this policy to care for his mother after she suffered a stroke and became bedridden. The leave allowed him to accompany her to medical appointments and assume the role of caregiver for several months. The bureaucratic language of “leave” acquires layered meaning here. A leave of absence from work becomes a return to familial duty; a physical absence from the studio registers as a different kind of presence within the paintings themselves. The works in this exhibition bear the imprint of that divided temporality—the strain of sustaining an artistic practice while laboring for survival abroad and tending to loved ones at home. Austria’s experience resonates with the broader condition of many working-class Filipino migrants, for whom mobility is both opportunity and sacrifice, and for whom distance is measured in remittances, phone calls, and deferred rest. In Austria’s hands, abstraction becomes a form of testimony. His canvases do not illustrate biography; they absorb it. What remains is a surface charged with negotiation—between cities, between roles, between grief and perseverance. The paintings insist that presence is not singular or stable. It is something assembled, contested, and, ultimately, painted into being. -Jevijoe Vitug

ARISGADO | March 04 - March 25, 2023 ARISGADO Arel Zambarrano March 04 - March 25, 2023 1/6 View Catalogue Video Press Release Caution: Hard Hat Area For the silent desperate many--who struggle to make both ends meet--one barely lives to fight another day. Arisgado, the sixth solo exhibition by Arel Zambarrano, essays the painstaking realities that he and his laborers face day-to-day challenges. Based in Iloilo, this artist-architect continues his narrative from his previous shows, armed with undulated persistence, this time Zambarrano unravels deeper discontents as he collectively identifies with the suffering predicament of many—the dog-tired working class including the downtrodden and abused multitude--to still plod the neck deep flood for them to keep their head above water. Ever since Zambarrano started his art practice he has veered on the edge of the dark and macabre imagery. He has always had a fascination for sharp edges placed in in-your-face aesthetic parlance. At one time he featured in Artificial Fear approximately 3400 knives onboard. With needles as constant from his previous shows, in this offing he portrays arrows as tools for waging conflicted instincts, as well as, sustainability of survival life (as in hunting and gathering), the arrow is also the symbol of peace, alliance and other philosophical ideas. Same as the exhibit title, Arisgado is the main piece in nine portraits of Zambarrano’s loyal laborers. As his men were painted as background, he uses pull-push rule’s blade overlaid with acrylic glass. What is astounding in this mixed media bravura is how Zambarrano alternately weaves tape measure with their canvas of mug shot faces of his long time construction workers. Sealing each with rivets to fasten each interchange. Dragonflies have also been a recurring presence in a Zambarrano paintings. In this series the backbone of the dragonfly as we are reminded that we are transformed with every adversity we confront with. Dragonflies also symbolized adaptability and self-realization. Zambarrano’s use of materiality merges his creativity in visuality and his being verse in constructing as an an architect. It is while busy on his building projects that he sought to incorporate his materials blending his two vocations. Although Zambarrano sees himself as an artist before his being a licensed professional builder. Breath While in the Dark frames cemented floor mat with acrylic paint and plastic screen overlaid on etched acrylic glass. As trapos also mean corrupt government official Zambarrano is conscious of being decent in dealing with these people and not fall into their callous prey. Zambarrano sets himself as long as you are honest from the start no one can bribe you in peril. Kalmado is a site specific installation reprising Zambarrano’s previous Ilomoca show. Casting himself for six hours, he uses cement to finish his actual being like it was a self-portrait. Like a paddling duck, Kalmado remains inverted being to show one to be calm while you wade the counter-controlling waves. Done in many versions all gearing up to Grit that is etched on canvas which is pierced by an arrow in Temporary Crucial Drawbacks, an oil on canvas with broken wooden arrows and copper nails attached to acrylic glass. Four large paintings charge one with fervor to continue the fight and grab life’s bull by its horn. Against the background of needles and dragonflies Zambarrano always rise to the occasion. Like battle cries he instills in us the courage of a warrior that while being wounded by life’s sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it still is a beautiful world. Rigid Still is Kalmado in two dimensions. The feet are a reflection of pain as most of the time we walk, run, or remain to standstill. Notice the foundation in pylon as base not to be swayed by untoward threats. In the Threshold of Winning Battle, Zambarrano has been known to be most effective when faced with adversities as reflected by the exploded door hardware and pots. Consider the door knobs and hinges as one has to get out of our comfort zones to find our passion in life. In Multiple Chances the cat is the symbol of nine lives and bearer of good fortune. Zambarrano’s pieces is rich in semiotics. It is in brokenness that he strives to come back stronger in existence. Undaunted inculcates opportunities are as rare as the Panay-Negros Bleeding-Heart. Here he painterly sprouts mushrooms as unexpected blessings as Zambarrano’s hopeful hands are depicted in details. Arisgado is arresting in its visual messaging as Zambarrano’s titles are encouraging phrases to keep you in the fight and not lose in depression. Art is a risk for Zambarrano who never surrendered in life, much more be dissuaded in creating in poverty. Bring it on, like an agile boxer, he takes the blows but he just keeps on punching. - Jay Bautista Arel Zambarrano Arel Zambarrano is a Filipino contemporary artist hailing from Banate, Iloilo Province. He is a licensed architect who graduated from Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U). His works often convey social and political issues. Zambarrano has his own studio called “The Red Table” in Iloilo which serves as a haven for ideas and aspirations for himself, his fellow artists, and his mentees. His works have been recognized by various art institutions such as the Philippine Art Awards and Metrobank Art and Design Excellence. "Arisgado (Risk taker)", the sixth solo exhibition by Arel Zambarrano, essays the painstaking realities that he and his laborers face in day-to-day challenges. Zambarrano continues his narrative from his previous shows, armed with undulated persistence, this time he unravels more profound discontents as he collectively identifies with the suffering predicament of many—the dog-tired working class including the downtrodden and abused multitude--to still plod the neck-deep flood for them to keep their head above water.

Beyond The Scars: Illuminating The Light Within Daniel Dela Cruz September 2-30, 2023 Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image 1/12 Beyond the Scars: Illuminating the Light Within Adversity shapes us, but it does not have to consume us. In life’s journey, we inevitably encounter trials and pain that leave scars upon our hearts and souls. Constant reminders of our battles, these scars do not define who we are. We are more than the sum of our wounds; we are resilient beings capable of letting the light shine from within, illuminating the darkness that tries to engulf us. Instead of allowing our scars to become prisons of sorrow, we can transform them into stories of triumph. The human spirit possesses a remarkable ability to rise above pain, find meaning in suffering, and emerge stronger than ever before. Our scars can be symbols of courage and perseverance that inspire others to face their own trials. Letting the light shine from within requires self-compassion and acceptance. It means acknowledging our vulnerabilities while embracing our strengths. By doing so, we allow the light of resilience and hope to radiate outward, touching the lives of those around us. We can become beacons of positivity, offering comfort and support to others struggling in their own darkness. We can guide others on their healing journeys through our experiences and the wisdom gained from overcoming adversity. Our scars then become bridges of empathy and understanding, connecting us in our shared humanity. We are more than the scars we bear. Despite the trials and pain, we possess the power to transcend our wounds and let the light within us shine. Embracing our scars, we can foster hope and resilience within ourselves and inspire others to find their light in the midst of life's challenges. Together, we can create a world where compassion and inner strength prevail, illuminating even the darkest corners of existence. Let us embrace our scars, recognizing that they are not indicators of weakness but badges of strength. By harnessing the power of our inner light, we can transcend our wounds, inspire others, and create a world where compassion and empathy thrive. Daniel Dela Cruz Daniel Dela Cruz Daniel Dela Cruz, an accomplished sculptor driven by a fervent passion and endowed with an innate curiosity for tangible forms, has essayed through works that span decades the interiority of the human condition, the predicament of modern life, and our small—but no less significant—attempts at transcendence. From molding clay in his boyhood to shaping intricate forms with found objects, his love for sculpture is animated by the yearning for philosophy, which he studied at the University of the Philippines. Coming from a family of doctors and involved in product design for export handicrafts throughout much of his professional life, his devotion to sculpture remained unwavering. A pivotal moment arrived at his 40th birthday in 2007, spurring him to finally embark on his artistic endeavors. Mentored by luminaries Arturo Luz and Lor Calma, he debuted as an artist with his first solo exhibition, Kandungan—an ode to the feminine form and motherhood. Dela Cruz’s art draws from his education and design background, seen in projects like the iconic metal torch for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. His diverse creations range from robust sculptures to complex pieces, all evoking a profundity of thought and emotion. His exhibits, including Material Culture, critique the excesses of materialism, while his iOS-lation series delves into technology-induced isolation’s impact on mental health. Beyond his artistic creations, he has remained committed to fellow artists, leading the Visual Arts Helping Hands Foundation, which provides funding and direct intervention for medical issues. Daniel Dela Cruz’s artistic journey is a testament to his dedication to his craft, innovation in form and technique, and resonating impact on the visual arts community. Through his works and philanthropy, he is proof to the vital role of artists in the life and imagination of the country while establishing a legacy that is at once indelible and inspiring, 1/1

Unveil | May 6-27, 2023 Unveil Dave Alcon May 6-27, 2023 DSC02439.JPG DSC03003.JPG DSC02438.JPG DSC02439.JPG 1/6 View Catalogue Video Press Release A stoic philosopher once said the worst thing one can do to himself is not become who he could be in this lifetime. For his 6th solo exhibition, Unveil, Dave Alcon literally pauses, reflects, and honors his long and arduous artistic journey an existential feast of paintings on his love for painting. Immediately after graduation Alcon worked as a graphic designer for nine years. Here he met like-minded creative people like him who valued the arts and revolved their lives around it. Yet even how much he set aside to be an artist the lure of paints persisted to no end. Common Ground is Alcon's ode to artists who like him kept the faith in the calling for the visual arts. In layers after another, Alcon skillfully recreates the unwrapping of his visual core in opened boxes, bubble wraps, and craft paper by showcasing his illustrative prowess using graphite pencil and acrylic paints. Even the plastic tale straw string representing the bondage from poverty makes an cameo appearance. His signature chairs are still present as an aesthetic accent--a remaining constant for his bespoke visual language. Notice the gold handle evokes hope and eternal positivity. Common Ground has the rudiments of skillful composition only Alcon can unravel. One can almost feel its surface and the texture of its ethereal materiality. In 2005, at aged 16, Alcon's mother upon learning that her son wanted to study Fine Arts in Manila, allowed him to join their relatives who were returning after a brief stay in Batanes. Adaptation I & 2 are two series interpreting the hard-earned realization of Alcon from the cultural norm and what can be and cannot be done in trying to survive in the city. These limitations are represented by the plastic tale straw strings and craft paper depicted on canvases. Alcon's inspiration was seeing all these packaging materials inside his studio even though he found difficulty in painting them. Struggling from a farming life back then, Alcon knew he did not have much opportunities in life. All his growing years he knew there were some things that he must aspire and what not. He became more appreciative of experiences that came his way, he was extremely focused in his drawings. Future Past 1 & 2 are for those hindrances even personalities around Alcon who tried to dissuade him from being an artist, there was an aunt who always called his attention when he was engrossed in his drawings. She even locked him out when he went home late after submitting an artwork in a national student art contest. Alcon will eventually win grandprize in that one and prove his detractors, including his aunt wrong. The foil symbolizes anything you can think of you can accomplish. The corrugated board stands for firmness in achieving your dreams. What makes an artist great happens not of his making but it happens of being in the world of seeing what is beautiful when everyone sees the mundane. In 2018, Alcon won special Citation Award at the Metrobank Arts & Design Excellence Oil and Acrylic Category. It was the sign that he was praying for to go fulltime in his art practice, Unleash tries to capture that coming out from his comfort zone. The bareness of white situates the freedom Alcon now enjoys at present. The freer the artist is, the more responsible and defining your art is. Unveil comes as a post pandemic learnings of valuing what we took for granted and what we still wished for- -only a grateful heart could come up with a show of such magnitude. Alcon has proven that Art is but a preparation for that bigger art, the art of Living. Jay Bautista Dave Alcon The lure to be contemporary is often affirmed by the young, Dave Alcon evokes a visual style that is one of the freshest to date. A native Ivatan, Alcon was born in Basco, Batanes. Graduated with a degree in Fine Arts major in Advertising at the Technological University of the Philippines -Manila in 2009. He won the grand prize in the ArtPetron National Student Art Competition and the Juror’s prize of the GSIS National Painting Competition during his second year and as PLDT Finalist the following year. In 2019, he received the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) Special Citation Award for the Oil/Acrylic Category. After being a graphic designer for nine years, he pursued his passion and became a full-time visual artist since 2018 with five solo exhibitions to date.

Nomad | Nomad Azor Pazcoguin 1/7 View Catalogue Video Press Release If Life Is A Journey In NOMAD, Azor Pazcoguin strips his art down to the essentials, exploring the complex simplicity and depths of monochromes. This latest solo show transforms concrete surfaces and layered textures into visual poetry, capturing the quiet power of structures and journeys alike. With each painting, Pazcoguin composes a tactile experience that’s as much about feeling as it is about seeing. The works in NOMAD might appear grounded at first glance (with one literally labeled in Japanese kanji as underground), yet they tell stories of movement and identity, place and bearing. With the subtle yet clear layering of text on his Apt. pieces—This Place contrasting with Displace, Undercover seeking Exit—Pazcoguin’s brush brings to life the facades of buildings, playing with their storeys and shadows, recalling the places one’s traveled to and the transient connections left behind. In his hands, concrete becomes a symbol—both a marker of stability and a reminder of the ever-shifting stages of life. With 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Person, however, his surface interventions serve as mutable markers for the evolving personas we wear, mirroring the identities we adopt as we navigate different places and circumstances. They remind us that who we were before probably is way different from who we are now, while V and B beckon us to embark on new road trips and exciting adventures to find out more things about ourselves and the world. As these monochromatic pieces invite viewers to experience the pervading changeability of people and places, Pazcoguin’s careful layering and scraping techniques evoke a sense of grounding, as if each work is imbued with the weight of memories and miles traveled. Despite their restrained palette, his pieces are rich with tactile depth, revealing new details with each glance and shadow, urging audiences to touch, linger, and reflect on their own journeys. NOMAD reminds us that we’re all travelers, cruising through a life of shifting landscapes and continuous reinvention. Pazcoguin’s art is a pause on this endless road, offering a moment to see where we’ve been and consider where we’re going next. It’s a timeless message for anyone seeking connection, simplicity, and the meaning behind the marks we leave behind. Kaye O’Yek Azor Pazcoguin

Tight Hold iSko Andrade & RC Caringal October 4 - November 1, 2025 Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image Add a Title Describe your image 1/12 Tight Hold brings together, for the first time, the artistic visions of iSko Andrade and RC Caringal in a two-person exhibition that reflects on the many bonds that shape our lives: within families, relationships, and communities. The title, departing from the familiar phrase “hold tight,” suggests that the connection already exists, sure and unshakable, and what remains is to recognize and confront its presence. Though united by theme, the artists move in different directions. Caringal turns her gaze to the human body, isolating the hands and their gestures. In her works, hands become a language in themselves: reaching out to save, grasping to secure, binding to keep close, or embracing in tenderness. Rendered with dense chiaroscuro and a photographic clarity, her canvases seem caught in a sudden flash of light, the moment suspended, the gesture preserved. Andrade, on the other hand, works through metaphoric fabrics that wrap and conceal, bound by ropes that suggest the fragile and complex nature of attachment. The ropes protect what lies within, knotting connections into place, but also carry the possibility of fraying, loosening, or entangling. His textured surfaces speak of what is kept hidden and the delicate tension that holds relationships together. In their collaborative piece “Unyielding Gaze,” these two approaches converge. Andrade’s luminous red fabric finds counterpoint in Caringal’s intimate handling of the body with the partial reveal of an eye, brow, and strands of hair. The work hovers between concealment and revelation, raising the question of how much of ourselves can be known, or whether recognition is always mediated through the gaze of another. Taken together, Tight Hold is not simply a meeting of two artists but a weaving of visions. It considers what steadies us against the forces that would tear us apart, and how intimacy—whether through touch or through the act of looking—secures our place in the world. '-Carlomar Arcangel Daoana iSko Andrade & RC Caringal iSko Andrade is a Filipino visual artist specializing in hyper realistic painting, particularly of fabrics, lace, and everyday objects. A graduate of Fine Arts Major in Visual Communication from Bulacan State University (2017), he uses his art to evoke nostalgia and intimate memories, often through personal motifs like lace, garments, and domestic items. Andrade has won prestigious prizes such as the Grand Prize in the 47th Shell Art Competition (2014) and in the Philippine National Oil Company Competition (2015). His exhibitions combine technical precision with emotional depth, exploring family, memory, and the fabric of personal identity. RC Caringal is a contemporary Filipino painter known for exploring human emotion, perception, and vulnerability through figurative art. In her exhibitions, she used expressive large-scale canvases and textured, raw surfaces to expose how we hide, distort, or magnify our true selves in a social-media age. Her works interrogate personal and collective truths—inviting viewers to confront discomfort and connect more authentically with their own inner struggles. 1/1

The Day After the Night Before | June 3 - 24, 2023 The Day After the Night Before Clairelynn Uy June 3 - 24, 2023 1/5 View Catalogue Video Press Release Technology made it accessible for anyone to explore interests and techniques that used to be far more exclusive, time-consuming, or skill-intensive to do. Meanwhile, the processes and philosophies of early adopters and pioneers continue to linger on, so much so that people still cite inspirations from those who lived centuries ago. What would the greats of the past would say if they saw how we have trodded down the paths they blazed? In a time where the barrier to entry for almost everything have been lowered, the question of replication, adaptation, and reproduction often comes up. I'm an optimist and in this exhibition is a storytelling of where does that leaves us. Each new giant is a new reference point in exploring the grounds they laid bare. As we continue to adapt and iterate on those ideas, they evolve into something different and become brand new spaces to explore.