Rick Hernandez
Artist Reception
April 6, 2024 | 4 PM
Space Encounters Gallery
Unit 7D, 7th Floor, Padilla Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Centre, 1605 Pasig
Rick Hernandez, who is mostly known for his colorful and bold abstractions, takes an about-turn in his solo exhibition and explores the lingering shades of darkness in stark minimalism.
In “Ashes Fall, Dust Settles,” the artist’s exploration of minimalism involves the use of pencil, ash, charcoal powder dust, and a variety of chemical solutions. Embracing the unpredictable reactions of alcohol, acetone, liquid bleach, and others with the ash/charcoal base, a canvas is created where chance becomes a collaborator in the artistic process. This unconventional approach, combined with acrylic, ink, and industrial metallic spray paint, results in a fusion of textures, tones, and forms that transcend traditional boundaries. The aim is to evoke curiosity, inviting viewers to contemplate the intersection where chaos and control, simplicity and complexity, converge in the art-making process.
Born in 1977 in Las Pinas, Rick Hernandez pursued Fine Arts at the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising Arts in 1999. Influenced by Ross Capili, whom he worked under as a Graphic Designer, Hernandez transitioned to visual arts. Throughout his career, he has achieved notable success in art competitions, including winning Best Entry in Graphic Design and Fine Arts at the First Annual Digital Arts Competition of the Graphic Expo Philippines 2001, receiving Honorable Mentions in prestigious competitions such as the 54th AAP Annual Art Competition and the 2001 Metrobank Young Painter’s Annual. He was also a finalist in the 2001 and 2003 Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards and secured second place in the Non-Representational Category of the 2012 GSIS Annual Painting Competition, earning an Honorable Mention in 2017. Hernandez represented the Philippines at the 2010 Asian International Art Exhibition (AIAE) in Mongolia and The First Langkawi Art Biennale 2014 in Malaysia. In 2021, he achieved another second-place finish in the Non-representational category of the GSIS Annual Painting Competition, and the following year, he was selected as one of the Regional winners representing NCR in the 2021-2022 Philippine Art Awards.
