Nature’s tenacity is the inspiration for Perfecto Palero Jr.’s latest exhibit titled “Unearthed”. As a visual artist, Palero aims to depict the permanence and impermanence of the natural world by portraying nature in motion in his paintings. With his unique arrangement of rocks and flowers, the artist paints nature’s beauty as omnipresent, tenacious, and ever changing.
For this exhibit, Palero explores the contrast between his two main subjects– revealing their complex, vibrant, and often surprising micro-landscapes. His signature flora emerging from rocks evoke the beauty and magnificence of nature, conveying notions of strength and resilience in any condition.
The works for “Unearthed” are portrayals of small corners of a landscape — the graphic nature of earth, with its contrast of colors, light, and shadow. The paintings highlight textures in the flowers along with patterns of stones. It is a convergence of graphic shapes, symbols, and gestured abstraction, driven by the artist’s constant search for the unfamiliar and uncanny. Palero strives to create images that present different views of familiar objects, encouraging the viewer to unearth a new way of perceiving things.
“As Feathers Flourish” explores William Alvarez’ fascination with the glamour of peacocks, a symbol of confidence and elegance. Strutting in its vibrant-colored feathers, the peacock symbolizes all things proud and beautiful in centuries of painting, sculpture, even in books and mythology. Inspired by its exotic and enigmatic, Alvarez aims to reveal their colorful plumage and unique characteristics through his art practice.
In ancient Greek and early Christianity, the peafowl was considered a symbol of immortality, based on a legend about its imperishable flesh. Medieval fables also tell stories of peacocks shedding its old feathers every year, replaced with more brilliant ones– a sign of renewal and rebirth. In Chinese mythology, the kaleidoscope of colors and “eyes” on the peacock’s tail represent glory and fortune, as they enhance one’s protection and awareness. While representing diverse meanings to different cultures, the peacock, with its unique beauty, makes it an enduring symbol of power, strength, confidence, and sanctity.
Against the brilliantly rendered background of gold leaf and brilliant hues, Alvarez portrays his sublime muses perched upon a branch with their tail feathers gloriously arrayed with flamboyance. Emblematic and influential in its associations, the peacock has gracefully paraded its way into its exalted position as the center of attention.
Both exhibits will be on view until July12, with the Artist Reception scheduled on July 12 at 5 p.m. Galerie Raphael U.P. Town Center is located at 2/F Phase 2 U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Diliman, Quezon City.
