Gabby Prado

Gabby Prado (b. 1995) is a visual artist who narrates heraesthetic journey in a series of paintings and sculptures derived
from her experiences. After years of training in performance,specifically dancing, Prado envisioned a way to transform
movement into large scale art. Her abstract paintings rely on bodilymovements and expressions to translate personal memories to visual representations and to advocate a better understanding ofour personal sensory narratives. Prado received her BFA (Painting) from the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Artist Statement
I’ve had chromesthesia my whole life. I see what other people hear, touch, andtaste. As an artist, I’ve been able to explore my sensory experiences through mypaintings and sketches. Through my chromesthesia, I see past memories in a new light.

For these series, I’m taking inspiration from the sounds of percussion instruments. I’ve always had an affinity for percussion, admiring the discipline to acquire accurate rhythm and cadence. I’ve had significant exposure with various instruments during my teenage years, doing performances with the gimbal and kulintang in the Cultural Center of the Philippines. When I listen to these instruments, it sounds very heavy, fast and sounds very mad but to me it was a bright red and intense brown yellow – like
the sweetest of mangoes. I wanted to capture this spirit of yellow in my work, but hearing it repeatedly gets tiring. I had to stop using these instruments for a while and look for softer sounds like the shamisen, which is a Japanese long guitar that comes with three strings. It reminds me of the movie Memoirs of a Geisha where Sayuri (the main protagonist) performed the “The Snow Dance”. When I hear this, I can see myself dancing in the studio and I see soft pink and the electric, juicy yellow, and blue like Yves Klein.

Katarina Sabine Ortiz

Katarina Sabine Ortiz (b. 1994) is a Filipino-born and based conceptual artist interested in developing discourses related to signs, symbols, self, and identity through multi-media disciplines. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins, UK.

Camille Ver

Filipino visual artist Camille Ver (b. 1980) defies conventional artisticcategorizations through her eclectic and boundary-pushing abstract creations. Sheabsorbed and integrated diverse artistic techniques and perspectives from her education at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts and Philippine Institute ofInterior Design, where she also developed an unwavering commitment to expressingher unique perspective. From there, Ver grew to seamlessly blend history, emotion, and personal exploration into captivating abstract art. Through her profound love for colors and her ability to see the world through their vibrant lens, she transports viewers on a mesmerizing journey through time and emotion.
“I see things in color,” are the words inscribed in Ver’s life palette. Here she encapsulates her deep connection with hues and their ability to evoke a wide range of feelings and emotions. Through her masterful manipulation of color, she skillfully captures the essence of a moment, a period, or a mood, allowing viewers to experience her artworks on an intensely visceral level. Her recent exhibitions such as “Lights in the World” (Galerie Joaquin, Manila), “How Colors Sit With Each Other” (Bliss on Bliss Art Projects, New York), and “Traversing Periods Through Color” (Cartellino, online) are a true testament of her bridging iconic art movements through colors.
Ver’s influences are subtle yet respectful in her works—from the muted and elusive rich and regal tones of the Baroque and Renaissance, the bright and bold impressionistic swathes, to the modern chromatic narratives of the expressionists. Ver’s inspiration is also drawn from her students, where their innocence reflects the purity found in the lines and shapes of her work; much like the brightness her faith and gratitude for God has illuminated her palette. This profound admiration of colors is very much a recording in itself: to simply allow them to overwhelm her with their beauty and emotions, stating “I only like to see, not own.” Much like for her exploration on her palette, the mastery of her technique is equidistant. There is a dynamic use of acrylic as her primary medium, as well as canvas, paper and acrylic sheets. The delicate balance between the esoteric ambiance of her combinations allows a sense of discovery and analysis in her body of works. Beyond colors and timelines, her abstract works prompt a conversation of origins. Where were the bright alien-like elements drawn from? What was the story behind the choice of colors that concocted into “shapeless shapes”? And are the works zoomed in view of a larger narrative, or a bigger view of a myriad of small chapters? The infinity of prologues appear as Ver’s personal adventure itself, an appreciation of the current field of colors, and an excitement for the deluge of more and more colors to “not own”.

Artist Statement
There are figures hiding within figures, just as much as there are stories woven within other stories. These five works represent a continuation and a new beginning at the same time: to continue strengthening the historical and stylistic influences of Rococo, Impressionism and Baroque; and to introduce the new energy of colors like the robustness of oranges and browns (found in “Necessities of Brown” and “Destined for Orange”), gracefulness of the blue (“The Delicate Side of Blue”) and the ingenuity of the pinks (“The More Decided and Stronger Hue”) that emerged from my constant explorations. While these works, like how we view the world, exist as “present” or “contemporary” entities, their core elements are underlying stories just waiting to be reread again. I also love my students and their innocence influences the work I do. I am also grateful to the Lord for his gift of colors, and in my works, colors have always been representational. For this set, they encapsulate timelines and the freedom and comfort I find in the spaces I curate. These timelines and spaces are my personal history that I aim to reflect my faith, my vision for young artistry, and the continuous exploration of colors yet to be recorded in history.