Ana | Chefdoevre Delgado | DMR
Artist Reception
April 6, 2024 | 4 PM
Space Encounters Gallery
Unit 7D, 7th Floor, Padilla Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Centre, 1605 Pasig
These are strange times. We are stuck to our screens, doom scrolling or on auto mode bombarded with information and disinformation while living with whatever life throws at us. Strange Days Ahead focuses on three artists and the state that they are in.
Ana’s work revolves around the theme of waiting for the rain to cease. It delves into the notion that amidst a barrage of unfavorable experiences, happiness can seem elusive. However, Ana’s pieces convey the message that just as storms eventually subside, so too does the accompanying sadness. Through her paintings, Ana’s character, Ning-ning, discovers the potential for the rain to halt, paving the way for happier days outdoors, once more under the radiant stars and sun.
Chefdoevre Delgado blasts us into space and the joys of exploration. With her clean almost print-like strokes and comic book framing, she journeys through the universe with wide-eyed, childlike wonder. She deftly captures the excitement of first-times shared with a trusted companion. You become that person splayed on the ground looking up at the stars and dreaming of spaceships and stars.
DMR explores themes related to his own existence, faith, and religion. He delves into the concept of being a minuscule entity within the vast expanse of the universe, where one’s presence may seem inconsequential. He questions the significance of surrendering one’s finite existence and the potential encounter with a higher power, and whether transient pursuits such as money, fame, and lust serve as temporary substitutes for deity-like entities in the earthly realm. DMR paints without a predetermined plan or sketch, allowing for the raw and spontaneous conveyance of emotions and thoughts in the moment.
Ana, a Cavite native, is an illustrator and painter known for her surreal, delicate style, offering an escape from reality. Through her works, narrated by the character Ning-ning, Ana delves into personal and universal experiences. Influenced by analog photography, she crafts landscapes that highlight humanity’s insignificance amidst vastness. Her refined rendering in acrylic or watercolor reflects patience and tenderness, capturing life’s intricacies and emotional nuances.
Chefdoevre Delgado is a tattoo and visual artist based in General Santos City. She graduated from the University of the East-Caloocan in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, Major in Advertising. Delgado’s flat art evokes melancholy, nostalgia, and warmth, drawing inspiration from her emotions and experiences. Her work conveys a straightforward message, fostering an immediate connection between the viewer and themselves.
DMR, based in Cebu, focuses on exploring vulnerability and self-introspection through impulsive imagery. He is a 3rd-Year Fine Arts student at the University of the Philippines – Cebu. “My works are created spontaneously, without prior sketches, allowing me to directly express my current thoughts and emotions. Drawing inspiration from artists like Basquiat, Haring, and the Lowbrow Art movement, my style leans heavily towards erratic doodling,” he shares.
