Talents converge this month as the global sensation and Indonesian pop-surrealist artists Roby Dwi Antono and fast-rising Mark Jeffrey Santos more popularly known as Mr S come together at Galerie Stephanie. The exhibit directs our attention to the alluring world of surreal art through “Intensity, Intimately” and “Reflections by Mr S”—simultaneous solo exhibitions from April 2 to 17 that highlight the work of these celebrated artists respectively.
“Intensity, Intimately”, Antono’s second solo show in the Philippines, shines the spotlight on his inclinations toward iconic Japanese characters such as the Kaiju, a type of monster similar to Godzilla that is either an antagonist or protagonist. The artist uses the duality of the Kaiju as a mythical creature and expounds on this concept through the lens of a child.
Mr S, began his career in video and film until he found his way into becoming the rising visual artist we know today. Dubbed by some as the new ‘it boy’ of art, his creations are steeped in fantasy, and usually reflect wide-eyed characters in a dream-like setting expressed through brilliant techniques in constructing imaginary and surreal scenes.
In “Reflections”, he shows how society affects the way we live our lives and how the norms—the unwritten ‘rules’ that society bestows upon its inhabitants—contribute to our fears. In his quest to acknowledge human nature’s longing for acceptance, Mr S touches on the manner in which we adhere to what others dictate and compromise our authentic selves.