Katrina Cuenca’s “Lotus” series of works displays vigorous brushwork that the artist said would be her attempt at connecting inward emotion and outward natural world. The result is a melding of figuration and abstraction at its most spontaneous and celebratory.

The lotus is an iconic image to many Asian cultures. To some, it represents enlightenment. It is the symbol of truth, love and compassion. Often found in muddy water, the lotus represents purity of mind and body. It represents the indomitable human spirit prevailing over squalor, ugliness and adversity.

Katrina Cuenca (b. 1984) is a self-taught artist who has been painting since the 1990s. She has been experimenting with figures, patterns and textures. She likes to paint with vibrant, expressive colors and also enjoys painting strange, otherworldly figures and patterns.

“Lotus: Transcendence for the Awakened Mind” is a Galerie Joaquin online exhibit consisting of Cuenca’s 18 most recent works. It runs till May 15. —Lito B. Zulueta INQ

Visit www.galeriejoaquin.com; tel. 0917-7073686; email [email protected]