What’s next?
The COVID-19 pandemic reconfigured much of how we go about our daily lives. We go through the motions of what we call the new normal defined by temperature checks, face shields and face masks, dry, isopropyl-soaked hands and Zoom meetings.We have a lot more time for ourselves, and yet we seem to be busier than ever. Meanwhile, we hold our collective breath as we impatiently wait for more vaccine rollouts and for herd immunity.
This perplexing state of limbo leaves us wondering about life post-pandemic. Is it already here? What, then, is next?
This is the question we challenged artists to think about as the theme for this year's Art for Development Outdoor Banner Project. Their responses are as thoughtful as they are diverse. There is worry, to be sure. And yet, despite all the frustration and cynicism, there is also the reassurance of hope.
In "ordinary" times, these works would have been converted into art banners and displayed in various pedestrian-friendly public venues. In light of ongoing health protocols, the artworks and reflections will instead be published as a book, and distributed to public schools and reading rooms across the Philippines.
In this manner, we hope that this project fosters continuing reflections and conversations as we move forward into our shared future.
Abril dominic valdemoro
Mapuyo na Pangamuyo
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
He prays silently to the great force, seeking justice to all those who weigh him down. Those in power who add burden to his disposition. Frustrations creep up all over him as uncertainty becomes the only thing apparent. He pleads and hopes that one day life will become pleasant and will eventually lead him to better circumstances.
aldy aguirre
Pasanin
36 x 24 / Watercolor and gouache on acid-free
Masyadong mabigat ang pasanin na iniiwan natin at iniwan sa atin. Pasanin natin ang isa't isa upang tayo'y muling makaahon.
JR atienza
Pamana
48 x 36 / Acrylic on canvas
Life is beautiful yet unpredictable. The world is full of uncertainty. It gets out of hand and is uncontrollable. But we remain strong and resilient amidst this challenging journey. And that's what makes us humans amazing. These recent events taught us a valuable lesson and reminded us how we must act. We must love the world as a Mother loves her child. It is our responsibility to teach the next generation the knowledge and experience we learned. It is the best gift we can bestow upon them.
ben albino
Banaag (Glimmer)
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Sumasalamin ang "banaag" sa kasalukuyang kalagayan natin.
Madilim ang paligid, nababalutan ng anino ng mga higanteng problema.
Tuso ang mga kamay na nais tumulong, gumagalaw lang ayon sa pansarili nilang hangarin.
Sa kabila nito mayroon pa ding kaprasong ilaw na puwede nating panghawakan.
Maliit man ang banaag, mas malinaw ang bawat hakbang na naiilawan nito.
Padayon.
danielle florendo
And To The Sky
26 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
It’s about floating above and not darting through. My thoughts though, remain clouded, and my tomorrow filled with uncertainty, I let parts of my soul free to the open for others to witness. At a slow calm pace and they multiply.
Jericho Moral
The Garden of Forking Paths
36 x 24
“Time forks perpetually towards innumerable futures.”
– The Garden of Forking Paths, Jorge Luis Borges.
In the midst of a time that has brought on many life-altering events, it may feel like we have fewer options for our future. But it remains among our choices to see the present with multitudes of possibilities. Maybe not what we have originally cultivated for ourselves, but the possibilities expand with every step forward.
Ioannis sicuya
Move 'X' Spaces
36 x 24 / Non-sag epoxy and wood
When the “Mechanics” in the Game of Life becomes very vague, the only reasonable move to take is forward and up.
rommel joson
Sibol
36 x 36 / Acrylic on canvas
At the moment, the future seems bleak with the ongoing pandemic and the threat of climate change. But the question of “What’s Next?” is also a challenge. This piece is about trying to reclaim some equilibrium with our surroundings. We are stewards; we always have been. But we should further grow and own up to that awareness.
Daniel Aligaen
Ikaw Bahala
48 x 36 / Acrylic and ink on canvas
The past year has been hard for everyone from all walks of life. Now, more than ever, people continue walking towards an uncertain future. The current situation makes it even more real that every tomorrow is unsure. In spite of this, it is neither an excuse nor an obstacle that prevents us from choosing the paths we want. Everything is still up to us.
Colindon, Kendall
Saan ba ito patungo
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
"Saan ba ito patungo?"
This is a question I always find myself asking. One that I share with many of us who experience the same struggles. The question weighs heavy as many more others follow. How long will our suffering last? Where are all our efforts going? Sometimes, the journey feels like riding a train with a clear stop and destination. In other days, you feel like floating on a river with no end in sight. But the question for us now is what will be our next steps?
BenCab
Sabel Looking Through Time
Ink and conte pencil on paper
The path forward is rife with uncertainties, nevertheless, we trudge on. What’s next for us as a nation will only ever be as good as what we’re willing to stand for.
Digan, June
The End is Just the Beginning
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
What's Next? When you have embraced this new way of life, thinking about the future is a bit unsettling. Not everyone is racing back. Some are still lost, some are still reframing the past for the future.
Bolarda, Anjo
20/20
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
For 20/20, I took inspiration from tattooing. I painted a person tattooing himself every day; an act to show a bit of direction, something to look forward to. Because of this monumental crisis and its lack of structure, people are at a complete loss.
nina garibay
Cool Dip
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Mark Dawn Arcamo
Edge of Awareness
48 x 24 / Oil and acrylic on canvas
One day greatness will be in our grasps, but rather than waiting, can we reach out now?
jessa balag
48 x 24
The pandemic has created a global health crisis that made a deep impact to the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. When the daily routines we've often taken for granted are disrupted, it lends us a sense of appreciation for the true value of life. Maybe this pestilence is the world's way of telling us to slow down and appreciate what we have and to realize that life is short. A consciousness of our own mortality enables us to cherish every moment of our lives. Accepting mortality is an inevitable aspect of the cycle of life and tells us that everything that lives in this world will someday perish.
Elicana, Noel
noel elicana
Hook of Speech
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
beth parrocha
Turn the page, please
13 x 9.5 / Watercolor and pencil
What’s next? The answer can be as gut-wrenching as trying to see through foggy political and pyschological issues or FB posts and telenovelas. Or it can be as simple as turning a page.
RV BASCO
Untitled
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
The theme “What’s Next” reminds me of examining life during isolation. I saw life to be difficult only when one refuses to learn from it. Those who learn are the ones who are capable of knowing what’s next.
mac eparwa
Eutierria
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
"Eutierria refers to secular experiences but echoes the 'oceanic' feeling identified in various world religious traditions. When it occurs, your perception of the boundaries between yourself and all else—the thoughts and feelings setting you off from the rest of the cosmos—seem to evaporate."
— Glenn Albrecht
Boni De Guzman
Bagong Normal
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Bagong normal sa panahon ng pandemya. Isa sa mga apektado ay ang mga kabataan na kung noon ay malaya silang nakakapaglaro sa lansangan, nakakagala sa kung saan-saan, at nakakapagklase sa kanilang silid-aralan, ngayo'y bigla na lang nagbago ang lahat dahil sa nakakatakot na pandemya. Mga laruang nakabalot sa facemask na nagsisimbolo ng kaligtasan ng kalusugan, mga eroplanong papel na maglilipad patungo sa payapa at ligtas na lugar, habang patuloy na umaasa na sana ay magbalik na ang dating normal.
Janica Rina
Malaya?
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
How can you say you are truly free? With constricted decisions, doing limited movements that you cannot consider voluntary? Is freedom just imagination caused by a long desire to possess and experience? In times of turmoil or even in order, what is freedom, really?
othoniel neri
Bukas
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Bukas ay may bagong simula.
Bukas ay may bagong liwanag at pag-asa.
Bukas lahat tayo'y babangon upang harapin ang panibagong hamon
mula sa dilim ng kahapon.
denmark dela cruz
Koronang Papel
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Mga batang biktima ng mapanlinlang na kapangyarihan. Na sa murang edad ay gusto na maging mas mataas ang estado sa iba, upang makalamang, upang maging mas makapangyarihan.Ngunit meron pa din ilan na hindi nasisilaw ng kapangyarihan, na kuntento sa kung ano ang meron sila. Ang kapangyarihan ay panasamatala lamang at sa isang idlap ay ito’y mawawala.
KINOO PADLAN
Do Not Disturb
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Children are starving across the nation while these people in high seats go on another vacation. Grandmothers die in the sweltering heat, meanwhile these pigs sleep in fancy sheets. And a young lady was threatened for helping her starving countrymen.
This pandemic serves as our pre-campaign for determining the watchdogs, agents of the beasts, puppets put in place and the bringers of this abomination. It also reminds us to be mindful and cautious in selecting new leaders. So we will not go quietly into that good night.
ANNE LACABA
Trapped in Freedom
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Mabango ang amoy ng kalayaan. Ngunit tunay nga bang malaya kung gagamitin ito sa dahas? Tunay nga bang malaya kung sinusundan ang amoy nito dala ang sariling rehas? Mukhang malayo pa ang kalayaang ipinangako. Pero patuloy ang bawat hakbang gaano man kabagal ang usad nito.
EDZ CALIMLIM
Huling Ani
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Ang mga huwad na kampon ng kadiliman ay muling nagpapakasaya sa pagsiklab ng apoy sa sakahan ng mga inosenteng magsasaka. Ito'y isang hudyat para iparating sa mga magsasaka na ito na ang huling araw nila sa lupa na kanilang sinasaka.
hannah nantes
Bodabil (Buhay Pa!)
36 x 24
On the myth of Filipino resilience.
Holding tight, holding taut, holding out. Patience equal to the measure of the gut — unraveled, stretched, dried. It twangs when plucked.
Sa abot ng makakaya. Madalas, lagpas pa.
POGS SAMSON
Trapo Wars: The Old Normal
36 x 24 / Acrylic on textured canvas
With the developemt of COVID-19 vaccines and the national electrions drawing near, I feel that what's next for us, as a nation, is a return to the old normal. COVID-free but still ruled by corrupt and power-hungry leaders. In my work, I try to depict this scenario of the power-hungry leaders fighting; to stay in power.
Kevin Vila
Salat
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
“Salat” in Pangasinan means “to replace” while in Tagalog, it means "defy the need, touch or palpation and lacking in different ways." This work is also based on a tale of a headless body who is seeking for his head. This is similar to what is happening to us since the pandemic. We are still seeking for our head - the desire for answers to our questions and the lack of information to feed our minds.
freddie vicente
Kotang-kota
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
The current realities and hardships brought on by the pandemic has turned us numb to a point where we have become accustomed to the changes it has brought us. Although we are tired, beaten, oppressed, confused, and helpless, life still needs to move on. Cheers!
jared yokte
Shaping a Stone
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
The next is to go back. It's really important to look back on social changes of the past and how they've influenced us now. And I think keeping the shape of our history alive improves our environment.
Shaping a stone is my metaphorical idea of social change that ultimately transforms culture, concepts, rules, and social institutions.
jonathan madeja
Bukog
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Sinakmal ng lahat at wala nang natira maliban sa tangan kong pag-asa. Magsasagwan kahit na malayo, marating lang ang tinatawag na pangako. Sinanay na ng panahon ang tibay ng aking buto at hindi na mabilang na alon ang humampas sa aking bangka, kasabay ng mga taong nag-aasal hayop sa gubat na minsa'y tinanatawag kong dagat.
jeffrey somera
Pagsulong
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Madilim, mahirap, nakakatakot, nakakasakal
Pakikipagsapalaran na tila walang katapusan
Patungo sa direksyong walang nakakaalam
Balakid ay kaliwa't kanang nakaabang
Liwanag sa dako pa roon ay di pa rin tanaw
Pinoy tayo, gaano kadami mang pagsubok
Katatagan ng loob sa atin ay likas na taglay
Taas noo at buong tapang natin haharapin
Pagsulong sa mithiing tagumpay ating makakamtan.
Clark Manalo
Pansagip Lubid
32 x 23 / Oil on canvas
Every individual has their own battle. Pansagip lubid means even if we struggle to survive, we must hold on to the rope of hope. Whatever situation we are facing, we must stand strong and have courage.
Using distortion, my work depicts contrasting scenes of societal defects and the tools we need in order to survive.
marcel antonio
Amor Fati
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
frenk sison
Pwera Malas
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Ayon sa pamahiin, iyan ang dapat sabihin kapag nakakakita ng itim na pusa dahil nagdadala ito ng kamalasan. Bilang isang indibidwal na patuloy na lumalaban sa panahon ng pandemya, maihahalintulad ko ang tao ngayon bilang isang galang pusa.
May pagkakataon na mawawala tayo sa ating landas pero tayo ay patuloy na lalaban para mabuhay. Lagi natin tatandaan na may iniiwan na aral kahit pa ang kaswaian na magsisilbing daan para matunton natin ang maliwanag na bukas.
Ang pwera malas para sa akin ay parang isang dasal na may kaakibat na pag-asa para magpatuloy at lumaban sa buhay.
Chad montero
Akala Mo'y Alon, Yun Pala'y Dragon
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Naglalakbay sakay ng lupang pawikan
Palutang-lutang sa alon ang baliktad na bahay bayan.
Pasan-pasan ang pangako ng kaligtasan
Dulot ay sumpa sa pagkakakilanlan
Tangay ng hangin ang layag ng kalakalan
Kapalit ng paglimot sa sariling yaman
Pilit mang ipatag ang lubak ng nakaraan,
Nag-iwan ng mantsa sa hubad na linangan.
Patuloy na bumubulag ang kagutuman
Habang binubusog naman sa kamangmangan
Naglalakbay sakay ng lupang pawikan
Tinatanaw na sundan ang kumpas ng daan
May pahiwatig ang kaliskis sa laot at buwan
Nagbabadya ang daluyong sa patutunguhan
Humanda, tumindig at lumaban
Pasasaan aabot din sa kadulo-duluhan.
Jonathan joven
Bahagdan
48 x 24 / Charcoal, pastel, and acrylic pastel ground on upcycled tracing paper on canvas
Ang mga patung-patong na kahong ito ang sumasagisag sa bahagdan ng bawat mamamayan o pamilyang Filipino na magkaroon ng pangunahing pangangailan tulad ng pagkain at iba pang kagamitan sa kani-kanyang tahanan. Ito rin ay para makapaghanda sa mga suliraning kakaharapin lalo na sa kasalukuyang pandemya. Magkakaroon ng malaki o mabuting epekto sa bahagdang ito ang pagiging matalino at responsableng botantenatin partikular sa darating na eleksyon 2022 at sa susunod pa na halalan.
rodel jacintos
Run Faster
12 x 18 (triptych) / Oil on canvas
I made a triptych painting that represents a marathon. In a marathon, the gun shot signals the start of the race. Everything begins at a slow pace until the crowd eventually wanes. At this stage, marathoners try to measure up each other without fully committing to speed. After a certain distance, the pace will begin to pick up as the momentum develops. Those who remain strong and focused gets past everybody and reaches the finish line.
This is the way I approach my artwork. It always begins in a slow chaotic start. Everything will be measured up. Everything will be balanced. The momentum will only accelerate upon seeing it all come into place. Then, working on it will be fast as the medium cooperates. The finish product will always be dependent on how I feel.
What's next? A marathon runner finding another marathon race to complete. What's next for me is another canvas to pour out my heart and soul, to give myself a chance at redemption, and hope to exceed my God-given talent.
joen sudlon
Salbabida
48 x 24 / Graphite on canvas
Sana'y masilayan ang bayan ng pagkabata. Ngunit ang mga ngipin ay unit-unting nasisira sa pagtanda. Habang ang iyo nama'y nagiging mga pangil. Kami'y palutang-lutang at nag-iisip kung paano maliligtas sa paanyayang handa ng binitawang ninyong mga salita. 'Di makalangoy at makasisid. 'Di makaalis sa paglutang at makaahon. Patuloy nakapako sa inyong mga pangako. Bagama’t ang makabayan ay hindi na natin nakikita. Taglay pa rin ang pag-asa na tayo’y makakakita ng tapat at makabayang pamumuno.
elmer borlongan
Drinking in Puerto Princesa
Drypoint on plexiglass
Everyone misses traveling. I can't wait for the day that we can all book a flight to somewhere that is paradise. This is "What's Next" means to me. To go outdoors, enjoy the sea breeze and drink a bottle of iced cold beer in Puerto Princesa.
lui gonzales
Rembering Songs that were Sung Before Us
36 x 24 / Pen and ink on layered and torn tracing papers
I wish I knew my grandparents more. They died when I was very young. I saw myself in a species of bird, the regent honey eaters; that is on the brink of extinction due to the lack of elders to teach them songs of their past. How do I remember songs I haven't heard? How do I piece together fragments of melodies? They say the regent honey eaters try to learn from other species of birds in order to survive.
don bryan bunag
Lost in Counting
36 x 24 / Acrylic and cotton thread on canvas
As the horizon swallows
the dwindling sun,
burning clouds
transfigure
into ash.
Clocks
disperse
like embers
traversing into
the ambivalence of
hope and apprehension.
paul john cabanalan
To will one thing
48 x 24 / Oil and crylic on canvas
To turn dreams into reality, one has to focus on putting their best efforts. Along the path, roadblocks may prevent one from moving forward or perhaps derail you, away from your destination. You may pass through dull and difficult moments but they will serve as lessons through this journey. Hard choices have to be made and while the results may remain unclear at first, it will eventually pay off. At the center of it all is god, the creator of my life.
art sanchez
Gut Feel Reflux
30 x 18 / Acrylic and collage in clear cut resin
Always trust your gut. Your brain can be fooled and your heart is an idiot, but your gut doesn’t know how to lie. Deep down, you already know the truth.
geovanni abing
Touch the Future
36 x 24 / Collage, acrylic, and spraypaint on canvas
The artist wants to show a dystopian future as a cynic observation of the present chaos that the world is experiencing. Though signs of life are found within the landscape which gives it a sense of hope.
brave singh
Another Day
36 x 24 / Oil, frame, found object, and pumice on canvas
Amidst the strong storms and perils that come across our lives, we still have high hopes to look forward as another day comes for new beginnings and another tomorrow to rise up and have a better day. Another chance to breathe and live life the way we want it to be...
arvi fetalvero
Grow
Lace fabric, wood, beeswax in bell jar
Because of the pandemic and the constant lockdowns we are forced to live in our own bubble, but we must not succumb to stagnation. Like seedlings in a small terrarium we protect ourselves, nurture and sustain ourselves in our safe spaces. We eagerly anticipate when we can be free to plant our feet firmly on the ground and move forward with our lives, our hopes, and our dreams.
aldrine alarcon
Perseverance
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
"Live the Life of Your Dreams"
When you start living the life of your dreams, there will always be obstacles, doubters, mistakes, and setbacks along the way. But with hard work, perseverance, and self-belief, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
alee garibay
Ano Na?
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Baligtad. Binabaligtad.
Lutang ang isipa’t
Lumulutang ang kaluluwa
Kasabay ng pira-pirasong
Kaisipan at kagawiang
Binabaklas at binubuong muli.
Patuloy ang pagbasag at paghabi,
Pagsala at pagtahi
Patuloy ang paglikha ng saysay sa kasaysayan.
christian culangan
Bukas
36 x 24 / Mixed media
Ano na?
Ano na bukas?
May bukas pa,
Pwede pa?
Bukas na.
joseph ingking
Whatever Will Be, Will Be
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
This work is connected to previous works by the artist done during the pandemic. It is also takes inspirtation from the song "Que Sera Sera."
Going through the process of isolation resulting to cancellations and postponments of different opportunities, the artist wants to express how far one's art could go despite these challenging times. How one's mental health is affected and is expressed into art. Uncontrollable situations may happen but we just have to hold on and continue to be strong. Rest when needed but accept whatever the future may bring.
martin honasan
Beating Our Swords Into Plowshares
36 x 24 / Mixed media on canvas
The phrase “swords into plowshares” is a Hebrew idiom for peace. The portrait is based on a friend of mine whose life seems to embody the mood of the times—he has lost loved ones during the pandemic; he grew up straddling the line between two cultures being raised by a Muslim father and a Catholic mother; and he is also an artist and a follower of Jesus who teaches in Islamic communities. Because of this, I have always referred to my friend as a peacemaker, a crafter of peace. Like the rest of the world, when the pandemic ends, the conflicts wind down, and the air is safer to breathe, we will come out of our homes, survey the damage, gather the debris, begin rebuilding, and replanting.
jerson samson
Huminga ng Malalim
36 x 24
Portrait ko ito. Parang pangarap na lang sa ngayon ang maalis ang nakatapyang facemask at face shield sa ating mga mukha. Gusto ko na makalaya sa facemask at makahinga ng malilim at malayang-malaya.
anthony palomo
Kita Kita
36 x 24
Less is more, more or less.
We have our simple pleasures
We get to meet up with people
We value our given limitations
We learn to make the most of little we have
Hanggang sa muling kita kita
roger mond
Dirty Bandit
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Diegong Gipit
sa Patalim kumapit
reen barrera
Not Again
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
As a kid growing up, I encountered a lot of challenges that put me in a bad situation.Those experiences have taught me to be ready and to be equipped to handle such problems. One of them is learning how to say no.
kirk tabanera
Smaug
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
What’s next after the eruption?
A haze contains the whole city
Like a deadly dragon's breath
With scales of blue and gray
Like a sky in the morning
And the coldness of the evening.
From Ashes to Haze,
Haze to our Breath,
We can survive it.
bam garibay
Lolzi
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
lynyrd paras
Sunod Sunod
19 x 13 / Oil on canvas
Huwag kang susunod kung ang mga pangyayari ay sunod-sunod.
amos malayao
Blinded
48 x 24 / Oil on canvas
The huge fly on her face symbolizes the myriad of distractions in our contemporary age. The grandeur of the golden fly masks its own dirt and filth. Much like our consumption of the seemingly endless social media feed on our phones and tablets, allowing us to escape from reality while deviating us from working on our own progress. This illusion of comfort blinds and consumes us right before our very eyes. So we must remain wary and critical because not all that fly will bring us to greater heights.
julius samson
Bombshell
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
The world faces a steady stream of chaos. A global pandemic that affects each and everyone's lives. So what's next? War. Bombshell depicts a Filipina in her native Tagalog costume while casually riding a nuclear bomb with her gas mask on; ready to embrace what is to come.
Alelia Ariola
I'm Next
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Stepping up on the new season of your life with one eye close and heart open. Time to rise up as the ancestors guide you in your journey towards healing, success, and greatness. Believe it, envision it, manifest it… You’re Next.
sarah geneblazo
Restored
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
An empty hospital bed and chrysanthemum flowers are juxtaposed together inside the canvas. Healing is what's next after this pandemic. Most of us have experienced losing some of our friends, family members, and others in our circle during the long lockdown. We need to restore our spirits, stand up and start life again. Life is short, so we have to live the life we love. We must move on, adapt and be strong through these unpleasant situations because this is who we are as Filipinos.
Janelle Tang
Engulf
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
The life we knew pre-pandemic won't be experienced by some, if not all children of today. Restrictions prohibit them to explore the world. Simple things we took for granted would be like rare gems to them. Experiencing most things through a screen is just the tip of the iceberg. They are like animals kept in captivity, deprived of nature.
renee avila
For Better
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
May we always choose to turn our greatest adversity into an opportunity to empty our cups and fill them with a kinder and better understanding of life.
tiffany lafuente
Wishful Thinking
48 x 24 / Oil on canvas
In this painting, the new mom is looking at a painting of a lady holding two glasses of beer looking like she's having a good time. Reminiscing her old days, the young mom knew that she can't go back to her old life anymore. She just smiles back at the lady in the painting and just embraces a new chapter in her life.
This is a metaphor for the ongoing global pandemic. We can't help but wonder if life will ever go back to normal. Whether it's just wishful thinking, only time will tell.
odang
Karen's Paranoia
48 x 24 / Oil on canvas
She overthinks and blames others for her misery. She's in deep trouble as she delves in a never ending loophole. It's tiring and exhausting to be in this situation. Some may not be able to endure. Some feel their pain until it hurts no more. Nobody knows the clowns above her head, nobody knows how heavy it feels. We need help. We need to realize that suffering is part of our lives. We need to accept that we cannot control everything including the thoughts of others. We cannot control the storm but we can control how we react to it. Our own thoughts and in that we are able to achieve peace of mind. What's next? A life more peaceful and a little less dreary.
jomike tejido
Portrait of Serenity
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
My answer to the abstract “what’s next?” is a freeform organic shape that suggests a lot of possibility of growth. The recent events might have bound us in our dwellings and cities, but I have seen how life never fails to adapt and seek new opportunities despite the circumstances. We are like this organic shape, filled with interesting bits and pieces that were formed from life experiences, and it is up to us to sprout wings or new appendages that will take us to life’s next journey.
Portrait of Serenity
48 x 24 / Acrylic and oil on canvas
michael delmo
Kaalingasa
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
It is a feeling, an assessment, as well as a perception of our current situation. We can't go out because of the series of lockdowns that keeps us prisoners in our own homes. My work is a visual presentation of the psychological and mental turmoil happening inside our homes. The battle we face today, rages inside our own homes and implants itself in our minds, yet no one seems to be aware of this.
Maralita
Mga Tagna ngan Kamatuoran
48 x 24 / Oil on canvas
MGA TAGNA NGAN KAMATUORAN (MGA HULA AT KATOTOHANAN)
ang mga hula ba'y makatotohanan,
o ang katotohanan ay malabong hinuhulaan?
malilito't malilinlang,
sa mga susunod pang kaganapan,
kung lipunan ay pinagkakaitan,
sa Pagmulat ng kaisipan.
dengcoy miel
Piglas
36 x 36 / Acrylic on canvas
My work "Piglas" tries to crystallize the emancipatory potential of an idea, a reliving of EDSA-grade passions that lies dormant under the weight of this pandemic. It is about freeing and prying ourselves away from this stereotypical dark beast by the Pasig River. What's next? We all know the answer to that question.
emil alarcon
Tomorrow
28 x 24 (framed) / Oil on canvas
Tomorrow allows us to gaze but never to touch. It is something which will never come. It will always be the future. Thus, the best preparation for tomorrow starts from the day before tomorrow.
abe orobia
Vitality
36 x 24 / Oil pastel on watercolor paper
At sa kanyang pagkakahimbing
Siya ay nagising at bumangon
Itinayo ang kanyang sarili
At hinimok ang kanyang kaluluwa
Na siya ay babaeng may ipinaglalaban
Siya ay babaeng pinangangatawanan
Maaring sa pangingin ng marami
Siya ay walang laban
Subalit siya ay patuloy na nakikibaka at hinaharap ang mga hamon ng kanyang buhay
Dulot ng mga taong mapagsamantala, mapanlinlang at mapang-abuso
Mga taong walang pakundangan
Hindi nababatid and tunay niyang kariktan
Sapagkat sila ay mga ganid at nais lamang punuuan ang kanilang pangsariling pangangailangan.
Siya ay tulad ng isang batong rubi, isang larawan ng babaeng may nais patunayan
Ang iwaksi at tapusin ang kanyang masalimuot na nakaraan
Katulad ng pandemyang pumupuksa sa karamihan
Ang mga bangungot na pumupigil sa kanyang pagliyag sa nais nyang marating sa buhay
Siya ay may hangarin
Ang tumayo at patunayang mali ang mga taong noon ay kumitil sa kanyang mga pangarap
at hindi na niya hahayaang muling mangyari pang muli iyon.
mark lester espina
Resilient amidst chaos
48 x 24 / Oil on canvas
The ever thickening accretion of rules and restrictions, slowly but inevitably gives a sense of powerlessness. But it taught us to draw on our natural attributes — resilience, positivity, tenacity and empathy to help us soldier on.
arnel jatulan natividad
No More Hugs
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
It's hard to fight an enemy we can't see
It can cross the sea and kills almost instantly
A war with no missiles and canons
No goons, no guns, but kills that instantly follow
What's next they ask
No more handshakes, just fist bumps
No more kisses, no more hugs
Just me and my self hug
renato barja jr.
No Work, No Pay
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Ito ay tungkol sa mga construction workers na nakilala ko noong panahon ng quarantine. Nakwento nila ang kinabukasan ng mga hard laborers na hanggang ngayon ay sumasailalim sa isang "no work, no pay" na sistema. Isa sa tumatak sa akin ay ang termino na "butas ang kamay" na gamit ng mga construction workers.
lance gomez
Marilag
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
paul eric roca
Beholden
48 x 24 / Charcoal, pastel, and acrylic pastel ground on upcycled tracing paper on canvas
Beholden, limbo of broken promises.
jim ornecio
Forest Walk
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Teach your children to love and appreciate nature. They will be the savers of the earth in the future.
emard Cañedo
Still-Life
48 x 24 / Mixed media
We must still believe that there is hope. Maybe not now, as we are still battling this intangible enemy that brings us all in a state of uncertainty. But tomorrow, the future will be brighter. And eventually, we will return to our normal life and continue our journey moving forward.
Ferdinand Doctolero
Ngayon
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
It is nice to be old in this lifetime. Everyday feels like you're being born anew. If you look at the world though the eyes of a child, everyday will always be a new journey. Death is just the beginning of a new form of consciousness. Such is the true cycle of our universe.
kim hamilton sulit
Apparition
48 x 24 / Acrylic and shaped stained wood on canvas
The work is an inquiry into our faith and a response to this current situation that has shaken our beliefs and sanity. Apparition depicts a silhouette standing over a pile of skulls and other figures that look like marks on a dirty wall. A notion that suggests that even if we are damned for life's eternity, hope and salvation will come along the way.
Norlie meimban
Our Freedom was Bondage of Time
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
Sa ating panahon ngayon, isa lang ang tanong ng mga tao “Ano na mangyayari ngayon”? Ang sagot ay hindi natin alam. Tayo ngayon ay nababalot ng isang pangyayaring hindi natin inaasahan. Tayo ay nakakulong sa panahon kung saan ay hindi natin alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa ating kinabukasan. Ang ating hinahangad ay muling malanghap ang sariwang hangin at maibalik ang ating nakagisnang pamumuhay. Sa painting ko, makikita mo ang balahibo na sumisimbulo sa kalayaan na nakapaloob sa isang kahon kung saan nandoon ang kamay ng sigundo ng orasan. Ang dalawang pulang palaso naman ay nakaturo sa taas na humihingi ng pag-asa habang ang isa naman ay sa orasan na naghihintay ng paparating na pag-asa. Ang tatlong babae ay tumutukoy sa nakaraan, kasalukuyan, at hinaharap na umaasa sa magandang kinabukasan
andrew tan
Tomorrow
36 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
The future is like an unopened door. The only way to know what lies ahead, is to open and go through it. Carrying a positive outlook and taking one step at a time towards tomorrow.
jovito hecita
Spacescape
48 x 24
Spacescape depicts the possibility of the future but at the same time, it is a miserable awareness of the abandonment of the past due to realities of the pandemic. With the success of NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover, triggering a new era of sustainable human spaceflight and discovery, it is easy to cast away a dying earth or in our case, a dying certainty.
adrian trijo
Helping Hand
36 x 24 / Oil on canvas
Taking care of our mental health is essential during this global health crisis. Keeping our minds healthy will give us leverage against the many anxieties that we face today.
dante lerma
Seer
48 x 24 / Acrylic on canvas
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18