Many of the paintings artist Gines Serran-Pagan made for his weeklong show in Makati are large and heavily textured. Portions appear to be struggling to rise out of the canvases. The colors he uses are bright and brash—primary and secondary hues with swatches of gold that demand to be noticed.

“I cannot use black paint when I illustrate the Philippines, only greens, blues and yellows. When I’m in a certain country, I try to integrate myself into the place so it can tell me what to,” he says in all seriousness. “It guides me in terms of what colors or media to use.”

Artistic collaborations

The Spanish-born artist has exhibited his work in the Philippines and other Asian countries numerous times in the past. He has collaborated with other artists, and has experimented with other disciplines like sculpture and even poetry. In total, Serran-Pagan has had over 200 exhibits (including 104 solo shows) in more than 20 countries in the last 35 years.

“I love collaborating with other artists because aside from learning about their work, I also learn about different cultures. As artists, we should always be open to other manifestations of art.”

For the exhibit “Colors of the Islands,” he used oil and acrylic paints and mixed media to come up with 30 paintings. The paintings that are for sale can be viewed at the Kirov model unit beside the Rockwell Tent until May 15. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Victoria SyCip Herrera International School Manila Foundation.

The foundation, known as the Vicky Scholarship, provides opportunities for deserving Filipinos to attend the International School on a scholarship.