If introspection had a face

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CARTOONISH images of a little girl and a dinosaur, their bodies morphed together, are hung on pastel pink walls; at the other end of the gallery, the walls are painted gray and hung with acrylic paintings and watercolor portraits of a brooding young boy.

These are the works of Indonesian pop-surrealist artist Roby Dwi Antono and Filipino pop-surrealist Mr. S (a.k.a. Mark Jeffrey Santos) who are holding simultaneous solo exhibitions, “Intensity, Intimately” and “���ڱ��𳦳پ��DzԲ�” by Mr. S, at�� Galerie Stephanie.

‘INTENSITY, INTIMATELY’
Mr. Antono’s career accelerated after a major exhibit at the Art Fair Tokyo. According to his artist bio at Galerie Stephanie’s website, Mr. Antono’s works “evoke pulsating emotional depths, fusing the aesthetics of Surrealism and Classical Renaissance imagery to create a contemporary juxtaposition that’s all his own.” Since the artist’s Philippine debut in the gallery in 2016, Mr. Antono has been a mainstay on its roster. He has participated in Art Fair Tokyo (2016, 2018), Art Fair Philippines (2017, 2018), and the recent edition of Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt.

“Intensity, Intimately” is Mr. Antono’s second solo show, focusing on his inclination towards iconic Japanese characters such as the kaiju, a mythical creature similar to Godzilla. The artist presents the kaiju as a mythical creature with a child forming a “parasocial” relationship with TV characters.

Some of the works —�� Us, We are There Together, Epic Battle and Lonesome Hero — were created using black and white oil pastels on canvas, while the child-like illustrations —�� such as Hey You!, Don’t be Afraid, and An Asteroid Strike — were done with oil pastel.

‘REFLECTIONS’ BY MR. S
Mr. Santos had a career in video and film before exploring creative work as a visual artist in 2014. His works are described as “steeped in the world of fantasy” and “complete with a dreamlike environment and wide-eyed characters.” Since 2015, Mr. Santos has had four solo exhibitions, and has joined art fairs and group shows in the country and in Taiwan, China, and the United Kingdom.

In “Reflections,” Mr. Santos shows how the pressures of society affect the way we live, how we see ourselves, and how it contributes to our fears.

These messages are depicted through a young boy hiding his face with a mask and facing his inner demons up close. In works such as Encounter with Myself, Mirror Image, and Eye to Eye, the subject finds himself in conflict when trying to appease others.

“Tayong mga tao, iniisip natin masyado yung opinions ng iba (We people tend to think too much about the opinions of others). Sometimes, when we want to do things, we are hindered by those said about us,” Mr. Santos told ����ý at the exhibit’s launch on April 1.

Among his paintings, Mr. Santos favorite piece is Looking Down at My Demons, which he said was where he was able to accomplish incorporating the theory of light and how it behaves in its surroundings. In the painting, the subject holds a lamp and looks down and is confronted by his inner demon.

“�Ħ�ęyung naiisip natin is ’yung opinion sa sarili natin, kasi usually hindi naman ’yon ’yung iniisip nila. (What we often think of are our opinions about ourselves, because others usually do not have the thoughts that we assume they do),” Mr. Santos said.

Mr. Antono’s work showcasing popular TV and comic characters represent heroism and power and are juxtaposed with Mr. Santos’ use of Japanese iconography.

“Intensity, Intimately” and “���ڱ��𳦳پ��DzԲ�” are on view until April 17 at Galerie Stephanie, on the 4^th floor East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong. For inquiries, e-mail [email protected] or call 7940-5726. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman