ArtistSpace re-opens with a show by Joy Rojas
ArtistSpace, one of the premier art exhibition spaces in the Makati Central Business District, re-opens on Feb. 21 after two years of closure due to the pandemic with “The Journey Continues,” a solo exhibition by Joy Rojas.
Organized by Pintô Art Museum and supported by the Saturday Group, the show presents the works that the artist has created during the pandemic, touching upon themes both old and new.
Those who are already familiar with the works of Rojas will be delighted to be re-acquainted with his abstract works, which are highly expressive renditions of the variegated colors and textures of the world.
In some paintings, the abstraction is used as a framing device to highlight stenciled images of heroes and saints, with the passages of textures and marbling of pigments providing a visual accompaniment to the figures. These works mediate the artist’s contemplation of faith, religion, and art itself.
Joy Rojas, professionally known as Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II, has been exhibiting his works
since 2014. His first solo show, “Strong Material,” was presented in 2017. He has had a total of six solo exhibitions, with “The Journey Continues,” organized by Pintô Art Museum at the ArtistSpace, as the most recent.
An active member of the Saturday Group, one of the oldest and most respected artists’ organizations in the country, Rojas has joined its many group shows and collaborated with its artists. In an article, art critic Cid Reyes notes that “Rojas transforms a surface into an encounter with the infinite varieties of sensation, tension, and languorous mood.” As a practicing lawyer, he runs his own firm, specializing in estate planning and corporate, real estate transactions. He is married to Patricia Bunye Rojas, who is also a lawyer.
The formal reception for his latest exhibition is slated on Feb. 22, to be graced by Alice Eduardo, Ching Cruz, Jaime Ponce de Leon, Ernest Escaler, and other esteemed guests.
“The Journey Continues” will be on view until March 6 at the ArtistSpace, which is located at Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. For queries on the exhibit, contact Jenny Villanueva at +632 8697 1015 or [email protected]. Call ArtistSpace at +63 917 826 4425 or email [email protected].