Juno Galang invites you to 'step inside' his solo show at Artistspace

MANILA, Philippines — Juno Galang’s early artistic journey took him from Sta. Cruz, Manila to Hawaii, where he devoted his art to “painting memories” for tourists: artworks to take home and remind them of local flavors and colors of the islands.

After 55 years away as a gallery artist in Hawaii, Juno Galang returned to the Philippines in 2016 as a part-time resident to reestablish his roots; then an attractive offer from a hotel in Hawaii as its artist-in-residence beckoned, and he divided his time between the Philippines and the US. But in 2020, stranded by the pandemic, he decided to come back for good.

Galang, at 80, now launches “Simula,” his first solo show since coming back, from June 21 to July 6 at ArtistSpace.

For this show, Galang challenged himself to rediscover his roots, painting local scenes of people going about their daily lives — what he calls his “tribute to the true heroes of society,” the street vendors, village fishermen, farmers and frontliners. His work has evolved again, moving away from the hyper-realism that marked most of his work in Hawaii, toward contemporary impressionism, painting in vibrant colors influenced by Van Gogh, Picasso and Gauguin, focusing on various renditions of fish – which, for the artist, symbolize wisdom, prosperity, good luck, as well as a life force existing in the depths.  “When you view my art, I want you to feel the canvas pulsate, so that it invites you to step inside and become a part of it,” the artist says. — Chiqui Lizada

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“Simula” runs from June 21 to July 6 at ArtistSpace Gallery, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue, corner De La Rosa Street. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.