‘Unfold,’ the two-man exhibition presented by Nami Art Gallery, runs from September 25 to October 8.
Nami Art Gallery presents “Unfold” at the Artistspace, a two-man exhibition of Filipino visual artists Raul Isidro and Juno Galang. It will be on view from September 25 to October 8 with an Artist’s Reception on opening day at 6 pm at Artistspace, located at the Ground Level of the Ayala Museum Annex in Makati.
To unfold is to present a new or to put into conversation afresh what is already an established style, yet with refinements and breakthroughs. To put it into perspective, it is a statement of continuance and enduring legacy for an already iconic and seasoned career.
“Unfold” will showcase the current and past works of Isidro and Galang in an exhibition dedicated to their longstanding friendship since their early days in the College of Architecture and Fine Arts (now Fine Arts and Design) at the University of Santo Tomas.
Although decades of professional practice have passed, and much has been told, published, and deliberated about Raul Isidro’s storied career, what perhaps hasn’t been given much focus is his disposition, which conceivably transcends the beauty of his masterpieces.
Isidro’s whimsical, vibrant, and colorful non-representational paintings echo his jovial personality—someone who is in love with life and treats everyone with respect and kindness. He will not turn down anyone in need of support and encouragement. He is a respected elder who flashes a smile to everyone he meets, much like his paintings, which seem to move and dance with vitality and energy.
The stone-like floating elements in his compositions allude to the exemplary pillar he is—an indomitable icon in the Philippine artistic landscape. Isidro is a second-generation modernist master, mentored by Edades and Abueva themselves.
A multi-awarded artist, he has won major awards in student and professional national art competitions such as the UST Inter-school On-the-spot Painting Competition (1963, 1965, 1967), Shell NSAC (1967-1968), Art Association of the Philippines (1969), and the Philippine Association of Printmakers (1970, 1972).
He lived in the US for ten years, where he became a member of the Arts Council of the City of Hayward, California, and was the Philippine delegate for the Australian Foreign Affairs for an art lecture series in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Canberra.
Isidro has served as dean of Philippine Women’s University, president of AAP and PAP, and was the recipient of the UST-TOTAL 2006 (The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni) award, the highest recognition given by the university’s rector, and the TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines) 1979 honoree.
Now 81, he is still remarkably disciplined. He works every day from morning until afternoon and never seems to tire. His daily routine includes painting, receiving visitors in his studio, serving as an honored guest at exhibitions, and continuously sharing and developing young talents, particularly artists from the regions. Every year, he organizes competitions and workshops in his beloved province of Samar.
Juno Galang, meanwhile, is an artist and designer based in Hawaii but has frequented the country since 2016, joining Isidro in his undertakings alongside their colleagues, including Rodolfo Samonte, the late Tiny Nuyda, Al Perez, Ephraim Samson, and many others.
Galang’s early works were photorealistic, heavily influenced by American artists of the same genre, such as Ralph Goings, Audrey Flack, Chuck Close, Don Eddy, and the like. These American artists are a decade or more older than he is, but the late 1960s to early 1970s in the US were dominated by this style, and so was the young Galang who fell in love with and immersed himself in it. He also painted famous spots in Hawaii from the 1980s onwards.
By 2016, Galang transitioned to a more stylized and personal subject matter. Memories of home filled his canvases, and his palette became much more festive, depicting Filipino culture. His style became a hybrid—a combination of expressionism and cubism.
In 2023, he transitioned to a more graphic-oriented, conventional style. His artworks became much more simplified and geometric. His most common subject nowadays is fish, which he says symbolizes prosperity, good luck, and happiness.
Galang is quite the traveler, moving from one US state to another before relocating to Hawaii and eventually returning home. The fish perhaps reflects his migrations, as he continuously and purposefully reinvents himself. Like a fish that has gone out of the pond to swim across the ocean, he has become a fully-fledged artist.
Artistspace is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, you may contact Ms. Jane Salvador at +63917 826 4425 or email hello@artistspace.org.ph.
