About the Event
In his upcoming solo exhibition, Renato Barja Jr. continues to express the dead weight of human crises with somber depictions of impoverished and marginalized people trudging along mortal existence. Through the artist's gripping paintings and sculptures, the peripheral and momentary are seemingly held in suspended animation for prolonged contemplation.
Central to the concept of the exhibition is the plea for divine intervention amidst life's tribulations, and how forsaken such circumstances seem, specifically when the only answer people receive is silence. Renato Barja Jr.'s works illustrate people he encounters in his daily life, particularly within the proximity of his studio; a vagrant and his pet dog living in a dilapitated pushcart; a homeless family peddling on the streets and sniffing on solvent to alleviate their hunger; and, an exhausted mother cradling her daughter while praying the rosary, to name a few. These are individuals who are clearly subjected to harsh realities, and depicted in moments of struggle.
The exhibition opens on July 6 and runs until July 27, 2019. To view, visit Tin-aw Art Gallery at Upper Ground floor of Somerset Olympia Building, Makati Avenue. For inquiries, please contact the gallery landline at +632-750-2596, email exhibitions@tin-aw.com or visit the Instagram and Facebook @tinawartgallery.