Mirage a league front runner series

CEBU, Philippines – Give an artist enough time to parlay the conflicts and convulsions of his inner creative dichotomies, and he will be more than capable of harvesting potatoes from a guava tree.

This mien of the contemporary arts field – this avenue for creative possibilities and potentials – is the touchstone binder that convenes “Mirage – A League Front Runner Series” – Qube Gallery’s finale show for 2014.

On display in the gallery until today, December 18, the show fetes a range of works by master abstractionists Red Mansueto, Raul Isidro, Jose “JV” Villacin, Roli Manlulu, Florence Cinco, Maxine Syjuco, Dennis “Sio” Montera, Jeanmarie Syjuco and Edwin Jumalon.

Featuring abstract expressionist works, surrealist-inspired mixed-media pieces and representational compositions that are steeped in abstraction’s scope and themes, the exhibit’s showcased pieces all have a say about the dangers of routine and caprice’s ruinous risks when talking about creative growth and direction – reminding viewers of how bleak the world would be if all artists succumbed to the paralyzing conditions of creative stagnation and crass irony.

Highlighting works that delve into life’s polarizing realities, the show’s overall tone can be interpreted as an allusion to one of Plato’s discourses – the one where the philosopher talks about the “bewilderment of the eyes” and how they can arise from two causes; “either coming out of the light or from going into the light.”

As Qube Gallery’s year-end show, “Mirage” is a fitting presentation that isn’t just about its exhibiting artists, but also about inviting everyone to see beyond what can be seen; to recognize that slumber can be dreamless but profound, that being disillusioned by the status quo is not a direct route towards cynicism, and that there’s really no lasting merit in spending thousands for cheap thrills.