Three exhibitions will open at the Bencab Museum on June 12.
The “An Ode to Beauty” exhibit of Bullet Dumatera is composed of 12 paintings in oil on canvas.
The artist’s works are often described as a hyper-realistic because of their photographic quality.
He has a keen eye for detail, juxtaposing flowers, butterflies, birds, and leaves with humans and animals, as well as everyday common objects.
He fills the canvas with a happy mix of colors – a celebration of nature’s bounty and largesse.
“Growing up with nothing, all I can share is what I see: the shapes and colors of nature, life, and my imagination. I am fascinated by the great variety of plants, flowers and animals,” Bullet said.
The second exhibit, “Manila Ukiyo-e: We are all time machines,” by Marius Black are marked by clean and neat lines in painted illustrations that reveal a skillful illustrator with a rich background in comics production.
A fan of manga, anime, and Japanese culture in general, Marius was inspired by contemporary woodblock art, prompting him to come up with his own unique works.
He begins each piece with his digital camera, snapping shots of his surroundings.
He uses these photos as references for his artworks, outlined in pencil, then inked.
The hand-drawn pieces are scanned and printed on watercolor paper.
Marius brings the scenes to life with watercolors, gouache, and color markers, making each artwork a print-original hybrid.
Manila Ukiyo-e: We are all time machines explores Marius’ theories of time travel, supporting his belief that our mind and body are literal time machines, able to access the past through memories and see the future through our dreams in the present.
Also on view at BenCab Museum’s Sepia Gallery is “Peace Time in the Country 1930-1941,” an exhibition of Philippine magazine covers from the Ortigas Foundation Library.
All three exhibitions will run until Aug. 1. – Press release
