ACCORDING to the Anno Domino dating system, commonly used to number years in the Gregorian calendar, as well its predecessor, the Julian calendar, 2021 marks the true start of the new decade. The order places the birth year of Christ as 1 AD, and the one preceding as 1 BC. Thus, there is no “zero” year.
For everything that has transpired under its span, however, 2020 makes a strong case as “Year Zero” in aspects beyond numerical significance. It was a period of a forced restart, leveling established routines and belief systems through ceaseless catastrophes, each one more devastating than the last.
Thus, 2021 was welcomed not with the usual sense of excitement and optimism accorded to new years. In its place was an overbearing sense of relief that 2020—finally, thankfully—was behind us. For its first show of the new year, Art Elaan examines the transformative effects of 2020 on its survivors, from the people to the planet.
Titled Reshaped Soul, the group exhibition is comprised of 19 artists who visualize in their distinct styles the prospect of starting anew in 2021.
Among them are Jun Impas and Maria Francisca Juarez. While a global health crisis and socio-political unrest largely defined 2020, several “worst-in-years” disasters ravaged nature as well. The two artists honor the value of plant life and breathtaking sceneries with remarkable landscapes.
Impas captures the early morning calm and glory at Egypt’s Mount Sinai in a realistic oil depiction. Meanwhile, Juarez imagines a perfect day in the great outdoors in her textured work, titled Grove.
The themes of death and rebirth, of endings and beginnings, fill the canvasses of the show’s participating surrealists. Jaime Gubaton presents the soft face of a person with its eyes closed, surrounded by and slowly merging with a kaleidoscope of butterflies in Dreaming of Safety. In Ang Bagong Ako and Padyak ng Buhay, Mel Cabriana renders images of a flowy white cloth, printed with what seems to be memories of an adventurous day, pierced by hands perched on by birds.
Renowned abstractionists are part of the exhibition as well in Kenneth Montegrande and Raul Isidro. Montegrande’s shift to a heavier mix, combination and application of paint continues in the expressive explosion that is Geography of Colors.
Also featured in the exhibition are Darel Javier, Marlon Lucenara, Marge Organo, Hermes Alegre, Tita Halaman, Martin Ampuan, Katrina Pallon, Antonio Pastoriza, and Lorebert Maralita. Rounding out the show are Marko Bello, Christian Regis, Ferdinand Cacnio and Robert Besana.
Reshaped Soul is on view until January 27.