‘Fervid’ and the friends who found…

Around him were old friends, many who met as artist-students at the Technological University of the Philippines. Outside class hours, they would go to Studio 1616, Paras’ Manila address that became a supportive space for the collective to harness their craft.

Life, however, had other plans for many of these artists. Post-pandemic, as the art world became oversaturated, many set aside their brushes to deal with stacked bills. Some traded in the uncertain work of a full-time artist for steady jobs as art teachers or video editors.

“Fervid” aims to change that. Organized by León Gallery International together with Derek Flores’ DF Art Agency, the exhibit departs from the roster Flores usually represents.

Instead, the show gathers old friends whose careers have taken different trajectories—acting like a reunion of sorts but also as a creative reset. Ultimately, the show brings artists back to their practice, mainly through the people they first started painting with.

Painterly explorations

No two artists paint alike, which is what makes walking along the paintings in “Fervid” pull you in, with 13 conversations on canvas taking place in the space.

Carl Dumdum’s figurative abstraction, “Art as a Never-ending Task,” depicts a lone figure compressed into the picture plane, pressing against geometric squares washed in soft pastels, creating tension between the brushwork of the body and the frame.

In “Decomposition,” Ciron Seneres turns his attention toward what most people ignore. “Ang concept ko dito inspired sa mga basura na nadadaanan ko sa paligid,” he says. Yet it’s definitely not basura, as grayscale plastic, dried leaves, and other discarded objects are nestled in crisp, square frames that cut through the densely detailed scenes of refuse.

Meanwhile, Dale Erispe’s “Homebound 2” makes you stop and stare at the sliver of the sky at sunset, peeking in between familiar condominium architecture. Each dark window leaves much to imagine about the lives inside it.

Further in, Gian Miroe’s “Aren’t You Tired of Watering the Plant?” unsettles from the get-go. A figure squats, prying its own eyes open, locking its gaze on a fragile flowering plant. Wrapped almost entirely in what resembles a black garbage bag, there’s a stark contrast between the delicate blooms and the suffocating plastic.

Ifugao Bulul figures also appear throughout the gallery, threading through Jett Osian’s work, one of which is titled “Faith is Something We Hold.” “Ito ang mga bagay na nilalagyan ng meaning ng mga tao,” he explains. “‘Yung bulol naman, protection at abundance,” which he says ultimately represents “faith.”

Known for her poignant portraits of people with Down syndrome, Maribel Magpoc explores a new direction in “Daily Bread & Tea.” Here, figures with Down syndrome join Christ at a tea party alongside cherubic putti, adding Renaissance-inspired imagery.

The most interactive work is by Keb Cerda, who fashions make-believe forms assembled from pipes, television screens, spinning propellers, and other scraps of technology. Scanning a QR code leads to an app Cerda coded, where viewers can feed, clean, repair, and care for the creature that is the painting. “Bawat creature at device magkakaroon ng bond level… parang Tamagotchi,” Cerda explains.

“May overcare din. Kailangan balansehin mo ang pag-aalaga,” Cerda says, an idea inspired by his experience as a first-time parent.

The ethereal mundane

Many of the works bring in an artistic dimension that transcends everyday perspectives. Joseph Fraylon transforms ordinary glass bottles, precisely but precariously stacked in a manner that highlights reflections of light and shadow, each layer of bottles literally carrying the weight of the next.

Kiko Urquiola’s “Nabulok Kaagad Ang Umaga” finds contemplative poetry in the everyday, as a recently emptied coffee cup sits with dark dregs still pooled at the bottom, a spoon resting neatly beside it.

In a simple still life, Lendl Arvin shows glass jars and a bowl arranged on top of a solitary chair, another with feet in too-big shoes—both sparse compositions that feel familiar, yet elusive.

Meanwhile, Roy Rosatase’s “Corner Lot” paints a home in an instantly recognizable Filipino neighborhood. The everyday streetscape is made idyllic through a filter of bright orange blooms, lush greens, and skies in brilliant violet and blues.

There are also portraits filled with petals. In an intimate and dreamlike image, Mariel Garcia’s “Between Petals and Her Dreams” frames a close-up portrait softened by delicate daisies scattered across a woman’s face.

And finally, Yani Unsana’s work leans into fantasy, as an inscrutable visage emerges from flowers that look much like carefully crafted paper, blurring the line between dreamscape and portraiture.

With a little help from their friends

While the works in “Fervid” are different in style, each creator is linked by circumstance. And for several of the artist-friends, the show was a reason to paint again.

In terms of the Philippine art world, “Fervid” signals that a new or younger generation of Philippine collectors is needed on the market to keep artists thriving with the realities of high living costs. “Patronage” may be a dirty word in some circles, but sometimes, a little support is all it takes for an artist to pick up the brush again.

With such fervid, individual passions visible, the gathering bolsters a community that started during those long-ago, spontaneous afternoons at Studio 1616. And with these new wells of inspiration, the brush is brought full circle, all thanks to a group exhibit mounted with a little help from their friends.

“Fervid” runs from July 9 to 23 at León Gallery International, Corinthian Plaza, Paseo de Roxas, Legazpi Village, Makati City

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