Artist Patrick de Veyra has always been obsessed with the idea of images and appropriation. As recently as last year, he curated two exhibits for Faculty Projects which tackle the idea of how we deal and define the images we use today. Storm in a Teacup, his most recent exhibition at West Gallery, circles around […]
Elmer Borlongan’s extraordinary eye for the ordinary in our cities
With an extraordinary eye for the ordinary, Elmer Borlongan re-presents the Filipino going about life. A tradition that goes back to: Damian Domingo, Jose Honorato Lozano and Justiniano Asuncion whose depictions of 19th century Philippine life have come down to us as Tipos del Pais (Country Types), but where the founding fathers of this style of painting left off Borlongan set off inspired by 20th century masters: Onib Olmedo, Danilo Dalena, and Jaime de Guzman breathing new life into genre with: color, form, and a trademark humor that elevates the familiar into Art.
Oil on canvas
7′ x 15′
2011
Growing up in the backstreets of Mandaluyong, Borlongan illustrates a ‘mise-en-scene’ of the urban milieu of the underprivileged, the proletariat, and the have-nots of society. Notable in his works are his steadfast characters—the street vendors, sidewalk beggars, assiduous disabled men, and scenes that portray local traditions and cultural practices that engage society today. From the Marcos dictatorship, the EDSA Revolutions, to Duterte, Borlongan brought his art from urban to rural and back to the urban such that he returned to the place where he started but saw it anew, like the first time producing past, present and future merged seamlessly in his works. In all things, good and bad, Borlongan’s steady refrain is hope.
Oil on canvas
3′ X 4′
1999
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila opens 2018 with a major exhibition of Elmer Borlongan: An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary. Curated by leading historian and curator Dr. Ambeth Ocampo, the exhibit features a survey of Borlongan’s body of works in celebration of 25 years of his artistic career.
The exhibit features over 200 works from 1979 to 2015, by retelling stories of everyday life based on what he sees in his surroundings. The murals, paintings, and drawings that fill the walls of this exhibition reflect on Borlongan’s practice and continued commitment to his art, vision, and powerful visual narratives.
READ MORE: Elmer Borlongan’s ‘Morning Rituals’ is an Exercise and Negotiation
Elmer Borlongan: An Extraordinary Eye for the Ordinary is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila from January 22 until March 28, 2018, with the support of Pioneer Insurance and Asia Coatings Phils., Inc. 
Smart Home Philippines continues to solidify its position as a leader in smart home innovation, receiving the prestigious Best Interior Design Smart Home in Asia Pacific award at the IPAX Global Property Awards 2024-2025. Held at the Savoy Hotel in London, this recognition underscores the brand’s commitment to seamlessly integrating state-of-the-art technology with modern, functional […]
Kärcher, the German multinational company known for their cleaning machines, debuted the newest part of their 2025 Cultural Initiative as they partnered with the Intramuros Administration to clean up the walls of Fort Santiago. A “restorative cleaning effort” done to celebrate the company’s 90th anniversary, Kärcher’s team focused on cleaning up the wall facade and […]
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Primex Printers, Chief Marketing Officer Mariel Ching and Creative Director Gio Prado put together The Infinite Dot. The exhibit functions as a showcase of the capabilities of modern-day fine art printing, giving audiences a taste of the flexibility of the form to different ideas. The exhibit’s name comes from […]
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Seeing the spectrum of human emotions as fragile is a concept as old as time. The way emotions break and mold itself to our environment is the subject of a lot of art. What Ciane Xavier does with Breaking to Mend, however, is to capture these emotions in porcelain, literalizing the conceptual framework interplaying with […]
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