Contemporary Art Exhibit „Isang Guhit : One Exhibition, Multiple Stories,“ Opens To the Public : Exhibiting Artists Arnel Garcia, Jojo Ramirez, Binong Javier, Harold Khan, Gerry de Guzman, Art Lozano, Norlie Meimban and Charmaine Taus (not in photo : Didier Alarcon, Maan Umotoy-Premacio, Cezar Arro)
September 17, 2024 – Publicartists Kunst Gallery at Vienna’s first district showcased Filipino creativity at the opening of Isang Guhit : One Exhibition, Multiple Stories, a contemporary art exhibit celebrating the dynamic colors of today’s Filipino artists. Eleven talented artists, hailing from both the Philippines and Austria, displayed their artworks, each filled with vivid colors and distinct styles.
The exhibition showcased the depth and diversity of Filipino artistry, where the blend of color, form, and imagination brought each piece to life. Though the styles of the 11 artists varied—from abstract to surreal to expressive realism—their collective works harmonized in their portrayal of culture, identity, and a shared heritage.
The exhibit is a collaboration between Vienna art network sige! and the artist-group Bastedor Art Project, which is based in Manila. It runs from September 16 to 21 at Publicartists Art Gallery, Mahlerstrasse 11, 1010.
Isang Guhit : One Exhibition, Multiple Stories
In relation to art, “Isang Guhit” directly translates from Filipino to “One Stroke.” This phrase can symbolize the simplicity and unity of a single brushstroke, a fundamental element in creating art. Its deeper meaning often reflects the interconnectedness of individual creativity and expression within a larger artistic or cultural narrative.
In the context of an exhibit like Isang Guhit, the term can represent how different artists, though unique in their styles and approaches, contribute to a shared story or vision—each “stroke” becoming part of a larger, cohesive whole. It underscores the idea that every piece of art, no matter how different, can come together in harmony to reflect collective themes such as identity, heritage, and creativity.
Isang Guhit : One Exhibition, Multiple Stories beautifully highlighted not only the vibrant colors of Filipino art but also the warmth and joy that permeated the event, creating an atmosphere that felt as much like a celebration as it did an artistic showcase. The gallery was filled with vivid hues, reflecting the energy and diversity of contemporary Filipino creativity. Yet, beyond the art itself, the smiles shared by the artists and guests spoke volumes about the deeper essence of Filipino culture—a sense of warmth, hospitality, and shared joy.
This joyful ambiance is a trait deeply rooted in Filipino culture. Filipinos are known for their resilience and their ability to find joy and connection, even in challenging times. This trait, which radiates through their art, was on full display at the exhibit. Each artist, though varied in their styles and inspirations, shared a common energy of optimism and community. Their smiles, like their artworks, expressed a spirit of openness and positivity that resonated with everyone in attendance.
The guests, too, were caught up in this sense of shared happiness, engaging with the artists and their works in a way that felt intimate and celebratory. It was as if the vibrancy of the art itself was reflected in the energy of the people—everyone partaking in a cultural exchange that transcended the walls of the gallery. This feeling of unity, of smiling together, is emblematic of the Filipino spirit: no matter the medium or the moment, Filipinos bring their warmth, humor, and joy into everything they do, making each experience more colorful and meaningful.
Isang Guhit became more than just a display of artistic talent—it was a gathering where smiles, laughter, and stories connected people, mirroring the colorful and rich expressions on the canvas. It showcased how Filipino culture, infused with creativity and positivity, can bring people together and leave a lasting impact.
Exhibiting Artists
Arnel David Garcia
Arnel David Garcia (from Pampanga) is known for his bold and dynamic painting style that blends vibrant colors with deeply emotional themes. His works often explore the complexities of identity, culture, and human emotion, and at some point he raised awareness about breast cancer, using powerful visuals and emotional storytelling to inspire understanding, support, and action. Garcia’s use of color is one of his most distinctive traits—he combines rich, saturated hues to create an almost tactile energy that draws the viewer into the canvas.
Garcia’s style is often described as a fusion of abstraction and figurative art. He uses abstract forms and textures to convey underlying emotions, while his figures, when present, tend to evoke themes of resilience, hope, and personal reflection. His brushwork is expressive, sometimes layered and textured, giving his paintings a sense of depth and movement that reflects the complexity of his subjects.
What sets Garcia apart is his ability to convey a sense of cultural heritage through modern, contemporary techniques. His works are a visual conversation between tradition and modernity, often rooted in Filipino narratives but universal in their appeal. He captures the dynamic spirit of Filipino life, from the vibrancy of urban landscapes to the emotional richness of family and community, all through a style that is unapologetically bold, colorful, and full of life.
Art Lozano
Art Lozano (from Baguio) is a Filipino artist whose painting style is characterized by a unique fusion of realism and vibrant expressionism. His works often stand out for their use of bold, vivid colors and meticulous attention to detail, creating a striking contrast that captivates viewers. Lozano’s art typically reflects themes related to the Philippine’s summer atmosphere and a Volkswagen.
Lozano’s paintings are known for their dynamic composition and rich textures, with subjects that range from rural landscapes to scenes of urban life in vivid colors. His brushwork is fluid and expressive, yet his images remain grounded in reality, making his pieces both emotionally resonant and visually compelling.
One of the hallmarks of Lozano’s work is his ability to bring a sense of movement and life to his subjects, whether through a bustling street scene or a serene countryside. His use of light and shadow adds dimension and depth. Lozano’s artistic approach combines storytelling with bold artistic expression, making his work not only a celebration of Filipino identity but also a powerful commentary on the experiences that shape it.
Binong Alvin Javier
Binong Alvin Javier (from Caloocan city) is recognized for his pointillist abstract expressionism that combines elements of surrealism, symbolism, and natural elements. His works often blend imaginative, dreamlike imagery with intricate details that challenge the viewer’s perception of reality. Javier’s paintings are visually complex, layering bold colors with delicate, fine drops to create works that feel both otherworldly and deeply introspective.
Javier’s style is rooted in surrealism, with his compositions frequently featuring fantastical elements or distorted forms that evoke a sense of wonder or intrigue. However, beneath the whimsical surface of his art lies a deeper commentary on themes such as identity, spirituality, and societal change. His use of symbolism often connects to Filipino heritage and contemporary social issues, making his works both personal and universally relevant.
A defining feature of Javier’s style is his fearless use of color. His palettes are often vibrant and eye-catching, with contrasting hues that amplify the emotional intensity of his subjects. His brushwork ranges from smooth and controlled to loose and expressive, reflecting the fluidity between reality and imagination that his art often explores. Through this distinct approach, Binong Alvin Javier invites viewers into a world where fantasy and culture intersect, encouraging reflection on the deeper meanings hidden within his striking visuals.
Cezar Arro
Cezar Arro (from Iloilo) is a Filipino artist whose painting style is distinguished by its bold abstraction and exploration of form, color, and texture. His works are often characterized by a vibrant, almost kinetic energy, as he uses abstract shapes and vivid palettes to evoke emotions and narratives that go beyond literal interpretation. Arro’s approach to painting is rooted in expressionism, allowing him to capture the raw essence of his subjects through the interplay of light, color, and movement.
In his compositions, Arro often employs a dynamic use of geometry and layered textures, creating depth and complexity within his works. His use of color is especially striking—he often pairs bold, contrasting hues to convey intensity and mood. Whether through broad, sweeping strokes or delicate, intricate details, Arro’s brushwork breathes life into his abstract forms, giving each piece a sense of motion and fluidity.
Arro’s art is deeply influenced by his connection to Filipino culture and identity, though he often conveys these themes in a non-representational manner. His abstract forms and textures suggest deeper cultural or emotional undercurrents, inviting the viewer to engage with the work on an interpretive level. His impasto style is one of constant experimentation, pushing the boundaries of traditional painting techniques to create art that is visually arresting and intellectually stimulating. Through this distinctive approach, Cezar Arro has carved out a unique space within contemporary Filipino art, where abstraction meets cultural reflection.
Charmaine Taus
Charmaine Taus is an artist known for a bold, eclectic style that blends abstract and figurative elements. Her work often plays with vibrant color palettes and a sense of emotional depth. Taus’s paintings frequently explore themes of identity, memory, and the human condition, drawing from personal experiences as well as universal human narratives.
In her compositions, she balances chaos with order—using fluid, sometimes chaotic movements of paint that contrasts against more structured, geometric forms. This creates a dynamic tension in her pieces, inviting viewers to engage with both the visceral energy of the abstract elements and the contemplative nature of the figurative subjects.
Taus is also known for experimenting with multi-dimensional phases in both form and interpretation.
Her style has evolved over the years, from early works that were more subdued and focused on monochromatic tones, to her current phase which embraces a more expressive, colorful, and layered approach. The emotional resonance of her paintings is one of their strongest features, often eliciting feelings of introspection or empathy from viewers.
Didier Alarcon
Didier Alarcón is part of the Alarcon brood of visual artists celebrated for his deeply atmospheric and dreamlike painting style. His work often explores themes of solitude, time, and memory, creating a sense of introspective quiet that resonates emotionally with viewers. Alarcón’s use of muted tones and a limited color palette, dominated by earthy hues and soft pastels, lends his pieces a melancholic yet serene quality.
His painting technique emphasizes soft, diffuse lighting, giving his subjects an ethereal, almost otherworldly presence. Often, Alarcón’s works feature figures that are either partially obscured or appear to be fading into their surroundings, emphasizing the transient nature of life and experience. These figures, placed in vast, minimalist landscapes or interiors, often evoke a sense of isolation and contemplation, as if they are caught in a moment of reflection.
Alarcón’s style is influenced by both realism and surrealism. He fuses these approaches to create environments that feel simultaneously real and imagined, playing with perspective and scale to distort the viewer’s perception. His brushwork is delicate, with a focus on creating smooth gradients and soft edges that enhance the dreamlike mood of his paintings.
Beyond the visual, his works often carry a deep emotional weight, inviting viewers to pause and engage with their own feelings of nostalgia or introspection. Didier Alarcón’s painting style, while understated, leaves a lasting impact, as it taps into universal human emotions through the subtlety of light, color, and composition.
Gerry de Guzman
Gerry de Guzman is a Vienna-based artist whose work is known for its dynamic fusion of vibrant color, intricate patterns, and cultural symbolism. His painting style is highly expressive, drawing inspiration from Filipino heritage, urban life, and the natural world. De Guzman’s approach is deeply rooted in storytelling, often using visual elements to reflect the diverse narratives and emotions of the human experience.
His compositions are marked by bold, energetic brushstrokes and a rich, saturated color palette that ranges from warm earth tones to electric, neon hues. This vibrant color use gives his paintings an immediate sense of vitality and movement, as if the subjects within are alive and in motion. His work often features layers of abstract patterns, geometric forms, and figurative elements, blending these different styles to create a textured, multifaceted visual experience.
A recurring theme in de Guzman’s art is the exploration of identity, culture, and community. His paintings frequently depict Filipino scenery but also human figures, and also everyday things we might not often notice. These elements work together to tell stories about belonging, transformation, and resilience, often reflecting the artist’s personal experiences and broader social issues.
De Guzman is also the president of the Filipino Visual Artists in Austria.
Harold Khan
Harold Khan is a graphic artist in Vienna, he is renowned for his portrayal of women, often depicted as queens and joyful, empowered beings. His work celebrates femininity, strength, and grace, capturing women in regal, almost divine forms. Khan’s painting style is characterized by vibrant colors, detailed ornamentation, and a sense of grandeur that elevates his subjects, presenting them as symbols of power, beauty, and inner peace.
In his compositions, women are often adorned with crowns, intricate jewelry, or traditional attire, symbolizing royalty and nobility. He emphasizes their dignity and self-confidence, frequently using rich golds, deep teals, and lush reds—colors that historically signify royalty and spiritual significance. His subjects are portrayed in moments of calm and happiness, radiating joy and confidence. Smiling faces, relaxed postures, and graceful gestures are recurring elements in his work, reinforcing the idea of women as serene, fulfilled beings.
Khan’s brushwork is meticulous, paying close attention to detail, especially in the depiction of fabrics, textures, and the fine details of crowns or ornaments. His style often merges elements of realism with a touch of fantasy or surrealism, as he enhances the regal essence of his subjects with an almost otherworldly glow. Light plays a crucial role in his paintings, as he often uses it to create a soft, luminous aura around the figures, adding to their ethereal and elevated presence.
Jojo Ramirez
Jojo Ramirez is a contemporary painter and graphic artist known for his bold fusion of traditional painting techniques and modern graphic design elements. His work stands out for its dynamic use of color, form, and a visually striking blend of abstraction and figurative elements. Ramirez’s artistic style reflects a deep engagement with urban culture, pop art, and digital aesthetics, making his pieces visually stimulating and conceptually layered.
In his paintings, Ramirez often merges the clean, crisp lines and shapes associated with graphic design with the more expressive, textured qualities of traditional painting. His compositions are filled with geometric patterns, sharp contrasts, and often vivid, high-saturation colors, creating a visual dialogue between organic and structured forms. This combination lends his work a sense of movement and energy, as though each piece is vibrating with the pulse of contemporary life.
A key aspect of his style is the way he plays with scale and perspective, sometimes juxtaposing oversized, abstract shapes against smaller, detailed figures or objects. This approach adds depth and complexity to his work, encouraging the viewer to navigate through layers of meaning. His subjects often reflect themes of identity, consumerism, and the digital age, making use of symbols, icons, and motifs from popular culture and modern technology. Recently, his works also include famous figures, sharp contrasts of gray and pastels, and details of the portrait and hands to a T.
Maan Umotoy-Premacio
Maan Umotoy-Premacio is a contemporary artist whose painting style is celebrated for its delicate balance of symbolism, emotion, and visual storytelling. Her work often delves into themes of femininity, nature, and personal growth, creating compositions that evoke a sense of introspection and serenity. Umotoy-Premacio’s artistic approach blends realism with surrealist elements, allowing her to depict not only the physical form but also the inner emotional landscapes of her subjects.
Her color palette is often soft and soothing, dominated by earthy tones, pastels, and muted shades, which she uses to create a calm, almost dreamlike atmosphere. This palette reinforces the themes of peace, introspection, and healing that are often present in her work. However, she occasionally incorporates bold, contrasting colors to highlight specific elements or emotions, adding depth and focus to her compositions.
Nature plays a significant role in Umotoy-Premacio’s work. She frequently integrates floral motifs, animals, and organic forms into her paintings, symbolizing the interconnectedness of life and the cyclical nature of existence. These natural elements are not merely decorative; they are deeply symbolic, often representing growth, renewal, and transformation, particularly as they relate to the feminine experience.
Norlie Meimban
Norlie Meimban is a contemporary artist known for his dynamic and visually arresting painting style that blends movement, energy, and narrative depth. His work is characterized by a strong sense of motion, often depicting figures in action, frozen in moments of transition or flow. Meimban’s unique approach to painting, sometimes bordering dynamic cubism, is distinguished by his ability to break down figures and forms into geometric shapes while still retaining a sense of fluidity and realism.
Meimban’s use of vibrant, often high-contrast color palettes adds to the energy of his compositions. His paintings feature bold hues that emphasize the movement of his subjects, whether they are dancers, athletes, or everyday people in motion. By fragmenting and layering the forms, he creates a visual rhythm that invites viewers to feel the energy emanating from his work, as if the subjects are moving beyond the canvas.
A notable feature of Meimban’s style is his use of light and shadow, which he manipulates to enhance the three-dimensional quality of his figures. This technique allows him to give depth to his paintings, making the fragmented forms seem as though they are leaping off the canvas. His skillful use of perspective further amplifies the sense of motion, often creating an almost cinematic effect.
Vernissage
As mentioned, the exhibit is a collaboration between Bastedor Art Project and sige!.
The Bastedor Art Project is a collective of contemporary Filipino artists driven by a deep commitment to using their talents not only to enrich the art world but also to uplift and empower others. The group’s mission goes beyond artistic expression, as they dedicate themselves to helping fellow Filipino artists and nurturing the creative potential of children across the country. The name Bastedor, which refers to the wooden frame that supports the stretched canvas on which artists paint, symbolizes the group’s role in providing a strong foundation for others, fostering creativity, and supporting the artistic community. The group often holds children fellowship and feeding programs throughout the Philippines.
Sige! is a dynamic and inclusive community dedicated to boosting, connecting, and fostering a thriving creative space for Filipino artists, innovators, and dreamers. At its core, Sige! is about creating a supportive environment where creatives can share ideas, find inspiration, and grow together. It’s not just a platform for chatting about art; it’s a space where connections are made, collaborations are born, and creativity is fueled by a shared passion for pushing boundaries.
The evening was hosted by Gerard Rabara, sige!‘s 1/3 founder introducing each artist (including the ones who weren’t able to join the entourage) and thanking the organizers as well as those behind the scenes, and guests.
Bastedor head Meimban thanked his fellow artists from the Philippines who lend their time and art to have their art shown in this first international collaboration. He also thanked sige! founders and fellow organizers Taus and Khan for making the event possible – which took months to finally be realized, and which the Vernissage was a successful and memorable night.
Charmaine gave a brief description of sige! and its mission, proud of Isang Guhit as the club’s first group show which included not only Vienna-based artist but also from the Philippines. She also thanked everyone who showed up to support the event, as well as Publicartists Kunst gallery owner Thomas Leimer.
The art exhibit opening was a celebration of colors and culture, where attendees found themselves immersed in a kaleidoscope of creativity. Each artwork, whether through bold strokes, delicate lines, or intricate textures, conveyed its own unique story, contributing to the larger, cohesive narrative of Isang Guhit : One Exhibition, Multiple Stories — a theme that symbolized unity and continuity through a single line of artistry. The pieces on display reflected the rich Filipino identity, emotions, and perspectives, bridging tradition with modernity in thought-provoking ways.
Throughout the evening, the gallery buzzed with excitement as guests engaged deeply with the works, exploring the diverse interpretations and expressions of the exhibiting Filipino artists. The event wasn’t just a celebration of the opening; it was a pivotal moment that highlighted the powerful and growing presence of Filipino contemporary art on the global stage. From abstract interpretations to portrait pieces, the exhibit showcased the dynamic range of Filipino talent and underscored its significance in the international art scene. This remarkable display left attendees not only impressed but inspired by the depth and relevance of Filipino art in today’s world.
This looks like an amazing exhibit! I always love checking out art. People are are so creative these days.
This is an art exhibit that I would be interested in attending. Thanks for sharing.
This looks like a fun place to visit. I need to up to the art museum here. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been.
, I really appreciate the celebration of Filipino culture and creativity through such vibrant and meaningful art. It’s wonderful to see the artists’ unique styles come together to tell powerful stories.
This sounds like an amazing art gallery, I must check it out someday. Thanks for sharing.
This looks incredible and what a fabulous exhibit! I wish I was closer so that I could go to check this one out 😉 Thanks for sharing!