Drawn, layered and torn

Tin-aw Art Gallery led me to Lui Gonzales. This UP graduate creates stunning works of art by drawing, layering and eventually tearing them. The result is a riotous, visual feast. Her work is a reminder that before you can experiment, you have to have the skills. And, before you can be a rebel, you have to understand what you're tearing apart. No pun intended.

Lui starts by drawing on tracing paper after deciding how many layers of illustrations would be included in the piece. The average is five. But she once made a 32-layer work that took a year to finish. Then, after layering one over the other, she rips the paper from top to bottom.

Lui was one of the delegates who represented the Philippines at the 2010 ASEAN Youth Camp for Visual Arts in Vietnam. She had her first solo exhibition in 2018 at Eskinita Gallery titled Colorless Confetti, followed by a group show, Simulcra, in Singapore last February.

If you happen to be in Metro Manila, I suggest you visit Tin-aw. Lui's part of Double, Double, Moore in Trouble, which runs until November 30, 2019.

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