(SPOT.ph) Life, as they say, is not always ideal as much as we want it to be—it is not a picture-perfect depiction of fields of green and a bright day. Artist Brave Singh, in his solo show Quiet Places, presents his own take on landscape paintings by confronting his emotions and translating them on a piece of canvas, resulting in hauntingly beautiful works of art. The exhibit serves as an invitation examine ourselves and search for our own quiet places where we can find comfort and refuge. It runs until October 26 at Blanc Gallery in Quezon City.
In "Silent Range," the artist paints a mountain with dark-red skies reflected on a body of water. The clouds, which have a tinge of ruby red, express a strong feeling of an impending rage, yet the beam of light in the sky gives a sense of calmness.
In the diptych called "Continuum," Singh executes his technique of burnt frames to bridge two different places and imageries of a landscape as if each is an extension of the other. The paintings, through hues and textures, capture separate moments of solitude and meld them together into one striking piece.
Though suggesting quietness, the work "Sober and Ashen" ironically speaks loudly in Singh’s picture of a small stream in the middle of gloomy woods. The artist allows the paint to drip from the canvas onto the edges of the frame, which strongly suggest about his worldview: living life beyond borders.
Singh’s works remind us that any kind of emotion—delight, despair, excitement, and fear—must be acknowledged. Lingering in these experiences eventually leads us to reconcile and make peace with ourselves.
Quiet Places, along with Pow Marin’s Are You There Yet and Leonardo Onia Jr.’s Acoustic Childhood, runs until October 26 at Blanc Gallery, 145 Katipunan Avenue, St. Ignatius Village, Quezon City. For more information, follow Blanc Gallery on Facebook.
