Love and solitude in the time of pandemic
‘ASELF-CONTAINED short story in an ongoing narrative.” Such is the premise of Janos Delacruz’s ongoing solo exhibition at Art Lounge Manila Podium (@artloungemanila), titled Pagibig at Lumbay (Love and Solitude), which explores the artist’s relationship with his muse amid the ongoing global health crises. Themes such as adoration, isolation and unrequited love are probed through a massive collection of 44 artworks in paintings, sculptures, drawings and fine print.
The show opened on August 2 and will be on display until August 16.
Delacruz often presents philosophical narratives that center on social commentary and selfexploration. He studied at the University of Santo Tomas, where he majored in Advertising Arts and learned the basics of printmaking. Post-graduation, he ventured into other forms of printmaking and painting as well, winning multiple recognitions to go with the awards he earned as a student, including the Benavides Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2006.
In Pagibig at Lumbay, Delacruz tackles yet again the conflicted relationship between the ethereal beauty of the divine and the frail reality of man—his own, particularly during these most challenging last couple of years. Each artwork featured in the exhibition is intended to be viewed as a “chapter illustration of an unwritten novel” that may or may not be entirely the artist’s. It’s a door left ajar that invites the audience to interpret, relate and reflect on the works vis-à-vis their own set of experiences.
Delacruz begins with drawings of raw concepts that take shape on paper through lines and patterns. The artist then migrates them to other media, paving the way to an evolution contingent on the material’s limitations and advantages, as well as his particular temperament at the time of process.
The prints, for instance, are inspired by illustrated medieval manuscripts, wherein Delacruz left the impurities in the plate and hand-colored the etchings. The idea, according to the artist, who considers this set as his return to his first love of printmaking, is to capture “individuality in the face of uniformity.”
Delacruz also presents a series of sculptures, titled Kuya Daks. It tells the story of a man in his most fragile state: unshackled by the “smiling mask” he wears to conform to society. Here, he is bare and free, characterized by unique patterns as a commentary on the reawakening of unique thought.
Delacruz’s Pagibig at Lumbay (Love and Solitude) is curated by Ian Belleza. More information about the exhibition is available at www.artloungemanila.com.
A MISSIONARY visual artist who aims to evangelize through her artworks and programs, Kristine Lim founded the Artists on a Mission Workshop. The program reaches new generations of artists across the country to share the gospel and create art centers in partnership with local communities and churches.
“We are here so we can leave a legacy for generations beyond our own through artists who make art that’s able to do something beyond art; beyond their canvas, themselves and the exhibit halls; all done lovingly and passionately for our God and for our country to better the world,” Lim said.
Artists on a Mission Workshop utilizes art to conduct Trauma Debriefing Seminars for children and families affected by natural calamities and the global pandemic.
With consecutive sold-out shows, Lim uses the proceeds from her exhibits to support and sustain small community churches, missionaries and NGOS in the country. She is also currently serving as the director of Culture & Arts for Sustainable PH, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability and is at the forefront of greenovation in the Philippines.
To extend help to the artist and her cause, you may support her exhibits and contact 0917-5308847, 09255464637, or 0935-0319931.