Paul Eric Roca
February 25 – March 25, 2020
vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery
3rd Floor East Wing, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City
On February 25, 2022 at 5:00 in the afternoon, vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery in partnership with Young Artists’ Studio UPTC opens Paul Eric Roca’s “INTERLUDE OF INDIFFERENCE”, a collection of paintings that put into visuals a commentary on our sense of involvement in this contemporary time. This solo exhibit is not only a presentation of Roca’s insightful, contemplative and thought-provoking art but also a recollection of the traces of our most recent memory of a revolution – one that may be too far out that it poses a challenge to keep a hopeful stance towards an approaching pivotal moment of our nation where we are to elect our future leaders.
Roca’s visual articulation in this solo exhibit is a timely contemplation on what it is to be us in this period of looking back at a long history of collective disappointments, looking ahead to a future of uncertainty in a present that can either make us hopeful or indifferent. These artworks invite a dialogue to ask ourselves where we truly stand and how we may begin to ponder on our role to our society’s direction that could either be a downward spiral or an uphill climb.
As the artist himself expresses, “The conscious burden of uselessness and inadequacy, as a chaotic world slowly devours your psyche; the apathy of mindless, jaded creatures that tread on through life like automated robots devoid of empathy; the social decay that gnaws and chips at your soul, stripping you of your dignity, slowly peeling the flesh of your rotting skin, exposing you of your vulnerability – these are the images that I am presenting, the slow deterioration of our society and the unfortunate indifference it causes.”
“Hope always begins with promises, potentials and visions woven together as a possibility for better change. But at the same time hope also possibly diminishes with nonchalant disregard for any of those or a disbelief for all of those. Then nothing, just feeling nothing and not caring about not feeling anything is what puts an end to hope. Paul Eric Roca’s artworks bravely points that out straightforwardly yet most sincerely. He highlights our major tendency these days. It is up to us how we want to respond to his call.”, curator Avie Felix shares.
Paul Eric Roca is a contemporary artist from Lucena City, Quezon Province Philippines. His multi-form practice aside from painting includes illustration for children’s books, magazines and periodicals and as an editorial illustrator for several years for The Strait Times in Singapore and currently as editorial cartoonist for The Manila Bulletin.
Roca’s INTERLUDE OF INDIFFERENCE opens on Friday and runs until March 25. To join us in the opening and have a chance to meet the artist, kindly RSVP via email vmemecontemporary@gmail.com or Viber (09175798768). The exhibit may be viewed afterwards by appointment or virtually at www.vmemecontemporary.com
