Group Show PART 1
June 30 – July 7, 2023
Backroom Creative Space
395 Adela, San Miguel, Manila, 1008 Metro Manila, Philippines
At the start of 2023, a group of Filipino artists aimed to create 100 artworks in one year. Not as a collective objective but as an individual goal per artist to reach a hundred artworks at the end of the year. They called it the 100 ArtworX Challenge
Artworks are not limited to paintings and they may choose the theme and mediums they like best for the challenge. The only true rule for the challenge is whatever they create has to be FINISHED pieces to get past their concept/idea/studies phase, to be doers and not just dreamers.
The goal of the group is to create discipline making works of art routinely. For each artist to make 100 artworks in 2023 will force them to be more creative in how they regularly make paintings and think of new ways to make art even when they think they have exhausted their ideas.
With this challenge, not only will they sharpen and refine their art styles and techniques, but they will also be able to try and discover new mediums, even finally try out the ones they’ve always been curious about or scared to undertake. As well as to prove themselves that they can produce more than they thought they initially could in a year… if not more.
The group is composed of different artists who feel they can do more with their God-given gifts, or some in rekindling their lost love for art making, and even for others to simply prove to one’s self that we can all make time for art no matter how busy life gets because making art is part of life.
Marius Black is a full-time artist and part-time writer. He paints the hidden beauty of his fellow Filipinos living in Manila (and even stray cats!) using watercolors, mixed media, oil paints, and poetry. He sees himself as someone lazy for a huge part of his art-making life, blaming the lack of materials, inspiration, and focus. Now however, he aims to create more art to get back the time he lost when he wasn’t painting, stating that as an artist, one should; “Make art, don’t make excuses.”
THετ Fernandez is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and at the same time paints beautifully shocking stylized self-portraits with watercolors, mixed media, and even on walls in the streets. For her, art is the one thing that makes her feel vivid in every way and she wants people to see her work and feel the emotions that we can’t express freely. Wishing that those who need it may find hope in her paintings no matter how dark and colorful they may seem to some.
Tad Pagaduan is a painter who uses inks and acrylics in his hauntingly fascinating pieces of beasts and nature. He says, “I want to put to the table my fascination with animals; specifically the brutality, and the occasional comedy that comes with their stories.” because, to him, “nature is metal”.
Tissa Pagaduan is a full-time artist who playfully paints with acrylic and markers making landscapes filled with flowers, sunsets, sunrises, and everything in between. She says that despite everything that may be happening in our lives, she encourages us to keep blooming. She paints her world so that she can share the hope and calmness she feels in her paintings and give people a vision of a place where they could breathe.
Joemarie Lachica is an art teacher and uses found objects, adhesives, and mixed media in his unworldly and elegant works. He makes art to gain insights, refine his ability, discover new techniques, explore new mediums, and maybe, in the process, even discover a little bit more about himself and his surroundings.
Jonx “GT” Ingeniero is a QA UX Analyst by day and a sculptor, artist, and DIY engineer by night. Using numerous methods like rubber/linoleum/vinyl cut prints and 3D printing, he merges his various interests to express himself in his laborious albeit superb work. He vows to slowly integrate the art world back into his life after ten+ years of being on hiatus from art making, stating,
“There is always time for art as it is always around you. You just need to open yourself and let them in.”
Guada Ramos Funtilar is a visual artist, who paints stories and scenes from her sublime imagination and childhood memories using oils, acrylics, and watercolors as her medium. She used to doubt her work before, although after learning that in the end, you will still have to create your art regardless of indecision and uncertainty, she realized self-doubt was a huge waste of time, and began trusting herself; by painting what she wants to paint and trusting her vision and ideas. Even if her goal is as simple as to make people smile when looking at her paintings.
SEE these seven artists who have accepted the 100 ARTWORX CHALLENGE in 2023 in PART 1 of their two-part show, showcasing in this first exhibition what they have accomplished in half a year.
JOIN them on JUNE 30, 2023 on their opening day at 3:00 PM at Back Room Creative Space, located at 395 Adela St. San Miguel, Manila. They will be displaying in the show all the artwork they have done (so far) for the challenge. Witness the evolution of their work from their first entry to the latest one, as well as the different mediums they got to try for the first time. Event page: www.bit.ly/100artshow
You can even take home some of these wonderful pieces they have made for the challenge or purchase art prints and other art merch as a result of these artworks during the duration of the show. So drop by, have a chat with the artists and their 100 ArtworX Challenge experience. We hope to see you there!
