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Renaissance and baroque art are experiencing a renascence or rebirth of sorts in BULLET DEMATERA’s newest suite of paintings. Dematera apparently intends his current collection to be a summary or condensed narration of art history from the time of the low renaissance school of Giotto to post-modernism. There is a unifying thread in his compositions though which isn’t classical at all, which is his usage of surrealist trappings and tricks. His portrayal of pale-complexioned women reminds us of Leonardo da Vinci’s depictions of lone women, specifically of the “Mona Lisa”, but with a varicolored surrealistic twists. In addition to imagery drawn from a neo-classical wellspring, Dematera also exhibits in his art a look often seen in Filipino paintings that are filled all over with pictorial elements and details. This compulsion to fill up every square inch of the canvas is called kenophobia or horror vacui, which is defined as fear of empty space. Dematera’s kenophobic tendency is most palpable in the painting, “A Place for Lifetime Memories”. Here, a woman with her back to the viewers sits on grass with her half-naked presumed lover facing her. The ground between them is littered with food remnants, like apples, peeled oranges, etc. Completing the cast of characters in this “picnic scene”, in illogical juxtaposition, are another woman, an eagle, a displaced statue of a child, and cherubs flitting all over and almost covering the sky. Another trait noticeable and common in this collection are the hidden and half-covered eyes of the women, hinting at their coy urge to look at something, which, I surmised, must be some attractive male somewhere. These paintings definitely exude romantic or sensual undertones, especially the painting “Pursuit of Purity”, which shows a serpent—a universally recognized symbol of temptation–creeping up to a supposedly virginal woman. But not all of Dematera’s paintings hint at sensual love, because one painting, the  “Blossom of Love and Solitude”, portrays maternal love instead.  This collection of recent works demonstrates the high level of skill Dematera had achieved. Apart from his convincing portrayal of the human figure, he is at his best in his hyperrealist rendering of flora, fauna, and fowls. This virtuosity stemmed from his apprenticeship with two internationally- acclaimed Filipino painters who guided him not only in the use of various mediums like oil, acrylic, and graphite, but in brushwork as well. With 11 solo exhibits under his belt, Dematera, couldn’t be considered as an up and coming artist anymore. He is well up there in the august company of the established ones, adding his particular brand of neo-classic neo-surrealist art to the existing array of styles Filipino painters adhere to.

Paintings and Fine Prints

Renowned Filipino printmaker Pandy Aviado presents “OPUS,” an exhibit that transcends his celebrated printmaking roots to showcase a stunning array of paintings and fine arts. Discover a collection that blends tradition with innovation, highlighting Aviado’s mastery of technique and his passion for storytelling through art. Immerse yourself in this compelling tribute to one of the Philippines’ distinguished artist.

About the Artist:  https://www.theartologist.net/artist/pandy-aviado/

“Simply Abstract” is a curated exploration of minimalist and zen-inspired abstract art, hosted at the Artologist Gallery. The exhibit showcases a collection of works by a diverse group of artists, each bringing their unique interpretation of abstract minimalism.

The featured artists—Adam Nacianceno, Chai Soo, Coeli Manese, Dante Enage, Jayson Pettz Muring, Kenneth John Montegrande, Melchor Tagana, Ronald Gochangco, and Sam Penaso—offer a meditative visual experience. Their works emphasize simplicity, balance, and the subtle interplay of form and color, inviting viewers to find tranquility and introspection in the minimalist aesthetic.

In “Simply Abstract,” the gallery becomes a sanctuary of calm, where the deliberate restraint of the artists’ techniques encourages contemplation. The pieces on display capture the essence of zen through their muted tones, soft textures, and minimalist compositions, making this exhibit a must-see for those seeking serenity in the world of contemporary art.

The Artologist Gallery presents (4) Four visionary artists fuse business, law, and sports with life’s highs and lows. Witness how they redefine beauty through their unique, ambidextrous artistry.

Japeth Aguilar “Court to Canvas”

During the day, Japeth spends his time constantly staying in game on the court, in his free time expressing his passion on the canvas. Through abstract and colors, Japeth exemplifies ambidexterity

Nina Alagao “Life filled with Beauty, Love and Colors”

Nina, a Fine Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines, expresses her love for creativity through both modeling and her hobby of creating fine art. Her artistic works, which resonate with many, showcase her unique ability to align her beauty and talent, demonstrating ambidexterity in life.

Manny Cabrera “Pop of life, Pop of Art”

From starry nights to media sensations, Manny, a prodigy of Ben Cabrera, proves ‘art is for everyone’ with his whimsical paintings that redefine ambidexterity, making it anything but boring.

Sal Ponce-Enrile “The Laws of Abstract”

A former legislator from the Philippines, Sal transitioned to a life driven by her passion for art. As an abstract expressionist, she leverages her ambidexterity to refine her unique style, breaking barriers for female artists in a male-dominated field.

Hiro Kiyoshima Kawabata May 2, 1968 A figurative sculptor and art professor based in Kagoshima, Japan. He has extensive formal training including an MFA. Hiro is a multi-awarded artist. Some of his works can be seen in Institutions and Museums. Notable Projects, Exhibitions and Awards: -Japan fine art exhibition at the National Art Center in Tokyo -2016-2017 International Salon awarded 2nd Prize”. 2016 – “Ken muon- The Specter of the Amami forest” installed at Kaiun Sake brewing in Kagoshima pref. 2015 •”Boys and Girls Fencing relief” installed at Toa Gakuen high school in Tokyo. – “The man of noble mind Isson statue” installed at Isson Tanaka memorial museum in -Kagoshima. • “GCA Figure Sculpture competition awarded 3rd Prize” at GCA, NY. June 4th -to June11th 2015. -ARC 2014-2015 International Salon Finalist”. 2014 – “Black fertility goddess statue” installed at Kagoshima Bank Osaka branch entrance in Osaka. 2013 Jury of “Japan Sculpture Association Exhibition” The National art center, Tokyo 2012 -“ARC 2012-2013 International Salon Finalist”. 2011 -“Haku jitsu Association Selection” Exhibition at Matsuya Art Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo. July 26th to August 6th.

In Steel on Stills, Arnel Borja showcases recent works featuring steel sculptures that transcend their hardy and rigid nature to become vibrant works of art. Coated in bright oranges, purples, blues, and yellows, they take center stage as the artist shapes them into musicians playing in a bright and lively orchestra of cleverly assembled pieces. A renowned kinetic sculpture artist, Borja comes from a lineage that descends from a trusted anluwagi who was considered a highly skilled craftsman, carpenter, blacksmith, mason, and stone carver in Negros in the 1940s. He began his art career as a realist painter and later became a sculptor known for balancing freestanding, mobile-like modern shapes on fulcrums. He previously taught advanced drawing at the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) and holds an Aeronautical Engineering degree, which explains his passion for well-planned and sensibly crafted pieces. At 38 years old, he held his first one-man sculpture exhibition, and still continuously pursues this practice full-time. Each sculpture in the exhibition is a testament to Borja’s mastery, showcasing not just the physical form of musicians and instruments but also the essence of music itself. Some pieces even feature facial features assembled from other shaped steel components, with expressive eyebrows and pursed lips poised above flutes and clarinets, adding a touch of whimsy and personality to the ensemble. Through these sculptures, Borja invites us to experience music in a visual form, capturing the essence of musicality on still steel. The playful and lighthearted look of these artworks crosses borders, offering a unique visual rhythm that resonates with art enthusiasts and music lovers alike. Borja finds inspiration for his recent pieces in their remarkable similarity to cacti in the desert, echoing these plants in their form, design, and resilience. After all, cacti have evolved to survive in harsh environments by storing water, minimizing water loss through evaporation. A deeper connection between the cacti’s role in the desert ecosystem and his own creative process also emerges: just as cacti provide shelter, water, and stability to the desert environment, the artist gathers divine inspiration from his surroundings and experiences, absorbing stimuli to craft meaningful and innovative artworks. As music and art are balms to the soul, cacti serve as a means of survival in the desert, truly appreciated in these trying times. In Steel on Stills, Borja’s sculptures reflect not just the physical resemblance to cacti but also the undeniable link between nature’s ingenuity and the artist’s creative journey, governed by inspiration and soothed by music, with art emerging from the absorption and transformation of external influences into unique and dynamic forms. The exhibition may be considered a celebration of art’s ability to transform hardy materials into expressions of joy. Just as we enjoy jazz or spontaneous melodies, the artist’s sculptures invite us to immerse ourselves in the harmonious blend of color, form, and music captured within each piece.

“BIRTHDAY HOMAGE EXHIBITION”

REMEMBERING NATIONAL ARTIST VICENTE MANANSALA

National Artist Vicente Silva Manansala would be 114 years old on January 22, 2024, if he were still alive today. He was born in 1910 and died in 1981, at the age of 71. However, it appears that not so long ago, in the middle of the last century, the name “Manansala” was synonymous with Philippine modernism. Many consider him to be the colossus of the Philippine art scene. Fernando Amorsolo, the first to be declared National Artist, was safely ensconced in history as the exemplar of conservatism, and while National Artist Victorio Edades pioneered the concept of modernism in the country, it was Vicente Manansala – by his superlative draftsmanship and innovative visual expression through his indigenized interpretation of Cubism now labeled “Transparent Cubism” – who gained a stronger, more solid foothold in the idiom that capture the spirit of the age.

Khristina Manansala, Manansala’s granddaughter, is presenting her latest works in an exhibition titled “Gunita: Remembering Manansala” at The Artologist Gallery to commemorate the 114th anniversary of his birth.  To join her, she has invited a quartet of artists: Rafael Cusi, Nemi Miranda, Pancho Piano, and Cid Reyes. Collectively, these artists honor the artistic legacy of the Maestro of Modernism.

Manansala was born in Macabebe, Pampanga, and spent his childhood in Intramuros, where he copied the estampita image of the Holy Family and, as he once admitted, drew the many cockroaches scuttling inside their makeshift house within the Wall. He earned a Fine Arts degree from the University of the Philippines. He continued his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Montreal, France, and the University of Paris with a UNESCO scholarship grant and a French government scholarship, respectively. Fernand Leger, the French master whose Cubist works featured tubular, conical, cubed, and machine-like, streamlined forms, mentored him for a significant portion of his studies.

When Manansala returned to his home country in the early 1950s, he struggled to make a living from his paintings. In his first one-man show, held at the Manila Hotel, he failed to sell a single piece. Forlorn and defeated, he revealed that he walked home on foot from the Manila Hotel to his home in Reina Regente, a district in Santa Cruz, Manila. The young, embittered Manansala promised himself that one day, collectors would line up to buy his paintings.

Indeed, this wishful dream came true. There was a time when wealthy collectors would travel from Manila to Manansala’s home in Binangonan, where the client would inscribe his name on the back of an empty canvas while waiting for the master’s hands to create his masterpiece. A group of ardent admirers and collectors was formed under the name “Friends of Manansala.”

Manansala’s early works recognized the abject social reality of the deprived and underprivileged, as exemplified by the now-iconic “Madonna of the Slums.” Manansala’s expressive brushstrokes elevated ordinary and familiar sights such as the jeepneys that crowd the city streets or the baroque altar of a dimly lit church to a transcendent scene brimming with Pinoy vitality and folk religiosity. Manansala’s “Pila sa Bigas,” a depressing image of slum dwellers waiting for their rice ration, is also a classic, serving as a damning indictment of social injustice and poverty in the Philippines.

The master, known for his “Transparent Cubism,” used the interpenetration of layers of light and planes, in contrast to Picasso’s and Braque’s multidimensional viewpoints. Furthermore, in his depiction of the human figure, he fragmented his shapes without becoming abstract. The versatility of his technique was best demonstrated in the depiction of his favorite subjects, the “Sabungeros” or cockfight enthusiasts, and the candle vendors. Manansala’s still life paintings of fruits, fish, and vegetables exude a Zen quality, fostering deep contemplation. He could perfect the tones and subtleties of Transparent Cubism. This is demonstrated by his “Whir” series, which depicts a flight of birds, as well as his reworkings of the paintings of Dutch masters Vermeer and De Hooch.

Vicente Manansala’s legacy lives on in the works of younger Filipino artists who are inspired by his work. The show, created by Khristina Manansala, is a loving tribute to the Filipino master whose creative genes live on in his granddaughter’s veins.

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“A Group Art Exhibit”

“IMPASTO” Impasto is the technique in which the strokes of a brush or pallet knife are thickened in a painting like the ones in this exhibition. You can see the stroke and every feeling of darkness or light. You can see the strokes of paint that Jesse R. Esplana did and does as a style. He can express his feelings whether he is using a brush or a knife pallet. These are the elements and techniques he used for his painting exhibition. He also describes his feelings in the paintings made. He drew various professions and subjects in his painting that give him inspirations like his drawings of “guitar man” and “jazz man.” These characters give him comfort. We can see in his paintings the joy in the world, thoughts, and feelings. It is derived from his style and can be identified by his paintings and the series of his past painting exhibitions in a similar place. He just continues the painting series he is doing and the exhibition like this so that his paintings can bring joy to everyone who sees them. Some of the images that he made of the series of workers and professionals that he contributed to the complex and will emerge a new town and a new generation of Filipinos that Gat Jose Rizal said are the hopes of the people, these are the new youth of the brown races of the Philippines that we love! May you all live long and may the living God bless you! May the paintings I put together for this exhibition be an inspiration to everyone! Live and God Bless everyone! He is great anytime and forever.