The art of sparking conversations
Before he realized he wanted to be an artist, John Paul Duray first went through an immensely relatable coming-of-age journey. In his early 20s, he dabbled in a myriad of professionsーhe was once a janitor, a bartender, and even a local TV personality. Finally, he’ll tell you, he realized he wanted to be an artist after a dreamーthe dream of ‘Banana Man.’ Today, Duray continues to mold his vision into an amalgamation of the country’s past and present, creating his bright and alluring sculptures in the process.
Do we really know who we are? This is the question that the contemporary sculptor seeks to answer through "You Are/Pagkatao," his first solo exhibition at Salcedo Private View, the gallery arm and private sale division of Salcedo Auctions. The exhibition opens this Saturday, Oct. 10 with an Artist’s Tour from 2 to 4 p.m. supported by Carmen’s Best and runs daily (except Sundays and Mondays) through Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (4 p.m. Saturdays).
The exhibit features 15 quirkily enigmatic sculptures that pay homage to deeply rooted Filipino customs, all while capturing the everyday eccentricities and realities of modern life.
As an emerging artist, Duray has pushed the traditional aesthetics of sculpture, putting particular focus on the creation of powerful visual metaphors rather than on the accurate depiction of the human form. In doing so, he uses local produce such as bananas, coconuts, and a variety of summer fruits as the ‘heads’ of his sculptures to embody the traits that correspond to a person. The show isn’t afraid to spark conversationーin fact, it welcomes it.
Duray’s experimentation with interweaving homegrown themes with contemporary narratives first began with the creation of "Banana Man" in 2013. Since then, he has been on an upwards trajectoryー his work has been showcased in several art shows both locally and internationally including SCOPE Miami Beach Art Show in 2017 and 2018, Pintokyo, Japan in 2018, and Pinto Manhattan Manila in 2017 and 2018.
Art connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike have the option to view the show both digitally at salcedoauctions.com, and physically at Salcedo Auctions, NEX Tower, 6786 Ayala Avenue, Makati City.
This Artist’s Tour this Saturday runs every 30 minutes from 2 to 4 p.m. To register for a time slot, please fill out the form at http://bit.ly/YouAre_Signup.
"You Are/Pagkatao" is co-presented by Salcedo Auctions’ 10th Anniversary Partner HSBC Premier.
For inquiries, email [email protected] or contact +63 917 825 7449 | +63 917 107 5581. Follow @gavelandblock on Facebook and Instagram.