Provides closure to a past and hints at an artistic reboot in a show titled 'no one had foreseen'
Those who have followed Ricky Ambagan’s artistic journey would know of his brief dalliance with abstraction. His recent works, though, reflect a rich amalgam of influences that Ambagan currently leans on, like the pictorial storytelling shaped in part by his academic background in visual communication. The romantic flourish of his brush strokes comes from Ambagan’s training in the manner of great European masters, enhanced with dramatic lighting that can be traced back to the artist’s experience in theater production.
Ambagan’s ongoing show at Salcedo Private View, titled "no one had foreseen," is an absorbing mosaic of his densely blended style. While his coloring and dreamy composition lend whimsy to the works, a deeper examination draws the viewer back to the artist’s more serious musings.
Storm in a Teacup depicts a golfer in a vertiginous golf course atop a cloud. He is detached from the tension beneath, where sparks of lightning signal a threat to the placid scenery set against a still brown lake.
A boy appears in several canvases as a symbol of innocence around which the artist built his discourse on a range of subjects. In The Other Side, Ambagan’s pajama-clad protagonist, assured by the superpowers of his cape, confronts the future beyond his youthful bubble. He appears baffled in First Flight as he encounters the chaos of the real world.
The artist articulates a moral dilemma in The Wolf, where the boy is situated in a neutral position between the forces of good, represented by the optimistic bull, and evil, as signified by the titular animal. In a painting titled Woke, Ambagan switches perspectives to depict a female figure about to rappel out of her innocence into a conflicted sexual awakening weighed down by religion.
In the past, Ambagan has had two sold-out exhibitions at Salcedo Private View where he showed works that adhere to his signature style. For his third outing, the artist included a suite of paintings that suggests a creative reboot. It begins with a memorial to the past titled Looking Back, with the artist honoring the joys and sorrows he experienced to provide closure to an artistic and personal journey.
Ambagan hints at new-found freedom in Some Birds Are Not Meant to be Caged, which shows exactly that—a rebellious bird standing triumphantly atop its upturned cage.
Unconscious Sides shows Ambagan’s transition with uncharacteristically loose strokes laid over a magical composition of fairytale characters mingling with kitsch and discards. It all comes together to evoke nostalgia and modernity at the same time.
The last from this series is simply titled New Direction. In the painting, miniature mannequins are positioned on a fragile ledge, framed by a vibrant tropical scenery. It speaks to Ambagan’s excitement as well as apprehension as he begins to expand his practice.
“no one had foreseen” runs from Dec. 1-17, 2022, with viewing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays to Saturdays at the main gallery of Salcedo Auctions (NEX Tower, 6786 Ayala Avenue, Makati City). The online catalog is available at salcedoauctions.com. For inquiries, email [email protected].
Images courtesy of Salcedo Auctions
Words by Devi De Veyra