'Windy,' oil on canvas, 2023; 'Black blue,' oil on canvas, 2023
In Nina Garibay’s world, colors dance with emotions. Like an ancient siren’s call, Garibay finds her muse in the enigmatic hue of blue, beckoning her to explore boundless depths to unfold its meanings. “Blue is so ubiquitous,” she muses,” and yet somehow still alluring. Like all good symbols, it is able to suggest and embody a wide array of meanings.”
At her recent exhibit, “Something Blue,” at the Art Verite Gallery, Garibay weaves a tapestry of visual themes that transcend the ordinary. The dance of presence and absence takes center stage embodied in her evocative collages. “Collage is all about cut and paste,” she explains. “Something is made more conspicuous by its absence.” The silhouette left behind after cutting out a human figure becomes a testament to what once was, an echo of existence.
'Black blue,' oil on canvas, 2023
The seashell, too, emerges repeatedly in her artwork, like whispers from the ocean’s depths. “The remains of a mollusk is another way of suggesting presence and absence,” she says. “Its form allows it to recreate the sound of waves.” Here, the empty shell becomes a vessel of memories, carrying the essence of the sea, as Khalil Gibran once mused. In a delicate dance of joy and sorrow, the conch shell speaks of the cyclical nature of life’s experiences.
Nina Garibay; 'Both sides now,' oil on canvas, 2023
Among the myriad blue-infused creations, Garibay’s Both Sides, Now stands unique without the azure hue. Yet, its absence of blue does not diminish its significance. “The form already looks forlorn as it is,” Nina contemplates, “it doesn’t need blue to further emphasize its misery.” Drawing inspiration from Joni Mitchell’s song of disillusionment, the piece bears the poignant title as a reminder of the human struggle with optimism amid hardships. It is about the “optics of …tion,” the lens through which we perceive the world.
The artistic calling has always coursed through Garibay’s veins, her father being an artist himself. “I have always known that I will end up doing something in the field,” she admits, though it took time to fully embrace it. Her artistic style takes shape as a figurative painter working with printed matter and oil paint. The influence of Dada, surrealism, and pop art breathe life into her creations, infusing them with a touch of the surreal.
Garibay’s creative process dances between intuition and analysis, gracefully melding subconscious impulses with deliberate choices. Her collages, born from glossy magazines, evolve organically through the interplay of randomness and intention. “When I try to be more deliberate, it becomes rigid and contrived,” she reflects. Embracing her unique artistic voice, she finds solace in being her true self.
A career in art for Nina is not merely a profession but an unyielding passion. “I’d like to believe that art is more than just a career or a job,” she muses. Remaining steadfast as an artist for years fills her with a sense of achievement, and she envisions a future where her hands and eyes never cease to create.
As viewers engage with “Something Blue,” Garibay desires to spark curiosity and contemplation. The interplay of silhouettes and subjects invites speculation, enticing observers to ponder what lies hidden and how it intertwines with what is visible. Her art unfolds an invitation for us to reinterpret the visual landscape that surrounds us, to navigate through visual narratives with newfound awareness.
In the grand tapestry of her artistic journey, Nina Garibay seeks a profound purpose. “My material originates from something very perspective,” she reveals, referring to fashion magazines. Her process of collage itself becomes an invitation to deconstruct and reinterpret ready-made images. She desires for viewers to gain the wisdom to navigate through the visual narratives, becoming aware of the captivating force that draws them toward these images.
With “Something Blue,” Nina Garibay beckons us to immerse ourselves in the allure of the color, to grasp the significance of presence and absence, and to weave our narratives in the delicate threads of her creations. Her art becomes a poetic symphony, resonating with the depths of human emotions and the endless possibilities of the creative spirit.
Art Verite Gallery is located at Serendra Bonifacio Global, Taguig City; [email protected]; +632 915 1982