Deguilmo’s “Distortus 2”

CEBU, Philippines — In a time when battles against collectivism are done en masse, Cebu-based artist Adeste Deguilmo dares to cut against the grains of the prevailing drift.

Recently opening his 9th solo exhibit on September 14, Deguilmo presents works that defy rigid categorization. The exhibit is titled “Distortus 2,” which reprises the theme of the first “Distortus” exhibit in December last year.

This time around though, the artist presents pieces that inhibit a sense of “oneness with everything” without losing a balanced sense of individuality. The artworks on exhibit now embody the fine points of creative styles and the intuitive application techniques of various mediums.

“Distortus 2” is generally imbued with the markers of neo-classism and romanticism, only expanded to cover areas that have become de facto in the contemporary arts scene.

The show gives off a ‘classic art meets circa 70’s comics illustration style’ feel – a thematic scope which stems from Deguilmo’s predilection in classic representational art and an active interest in richly detailed illustration styles which were championed by the likes of Pinoy comics masters Tony DeZuniga, Alex Niño and Ernie Chan, among many others.

Working with traditional mediums like acrylic and pen-and-ink, a number of the show’s pieces are also made with non-conventional mediums like coffee and coffee washes, indicating that Deguilmo’s creative explorations have gone beyond creative styles.

As a follow-through exhibit of last year’s “Distortus,” “Distortus 2” exudes a lighter side of Deguilmo’s creative views – a vision that results to works that are, simply put, beautiful to behold. It is ongoing at Qube Gallery at The Crossroads in Banilad until October 14. (FREEMAN)