Catching Up On Manila’s Art Scene: Troy Ignacio at The Drawing Room, Ley Hunting at Silverlens, An Auction at Finale, Spanish Artists at DAGC, and Erwin Leano and Wataru Sakuma at Art Informal

Wataru Sakuma, "Roxas Blvd" at Map, Art Informal

Doing the rounds of galleries gave way to other projects these past few weeks, but this weekend proved a good time to catch up on Manila’s offerings: Continue reading


Troy Ignacio Goes To The Dogs

Troy Ignacio, "All Mine"

Troy Ignacio considers himself a social realist.  His distorted, caricature-like portrayals of the people he encounters daily belie the seriousness with which he views issues such as poverty and injustice.  He has adopted a stark, black and white palette to underscore how ordinary and matter-of-fact we look at situations that should cause outrage.  A little girl allowed by her parents to dress as scantily as the dancers on a daily television variety show, or an old man forced to eke out a living hawking cigarettes, have been some of the subjects rendered in his oil on paper paintings. Continue reading


Troy Ignacio Scratches Beneath The Surface

On some days, Troy Ignacio sits on a park bench at the center of Makati, an unobtrusive observer of the people around him .  He

Troy Ignacio, "Da King", oil on paper, 5ft x 4ft

quietly sketches what he sees.  It could be the working stiff laughing loudly at some unknown joke or a lady scurrying to complete an errand.  Like all kibitzers, he wonders at the stories that each person carries beneath their visages.  What secrets do their frames contain? Continue reading


Bright Clouds Over Boston

Rodel Tapaya, "Espiya ni Pedroso"

Rodel Tapaya, "Espiya ni Pedroso"

The first day of the week brought in the sunshine, a welcome balm to a city reeling from images of misery and destruction.  Later in the day the rains may start pouring again, pounding relentlessly on bodies and belongings that haven’t recovered, still not inured to another onslaught.  I thought to seize the best of the day, to take a few hours break from dismal reality.  I headed north, and after

Rodel Tapaya, "Tumana"

Rodel Tapaya, "Tumana"

seeing Boston Gallery’s current exhibit, knew I had made the right choice. Continue reading