Seeking Jesus Christ and His kingdom above anything else, art and literary group Artery Manila, together with Gallery Nine, mounted its 12th Lenten art exhibit called “Kristo” at the Art Center of Megamall in Mandaluyong City on March 23. The show runs until April 8.

Themed “So Be It,” “Kristo” gathered some 100 artists from Manila and Bulacan as a tribute to Christ during the Lenten season. This year’s exhibit features photography, digital art and sculpture for the first time.

Photographer Ross Capili makes a foray into the visual arts, playing with the word “a-men,” in presenting the diverging classes of society in his mixed-media painting “A-Men.” Set against a black background, “A-Men” shows five different postures of Christ on the cross  placed widely apart, the topmost of which represents His ascension and the bottom His suffering.

“In the context of the present day, there are many likenesses the Christ left on earth which people should be performing,” said Capili. “[In “A-Men,”] it shows the stages that Christ went through from His suffering to His death. He proved that He could wade through all these hardships.”

Jesus Christ as a superhero is the motif used by Thomas Daquioag, who sees Christ as a larger-than-life person having withstood all the trials and tribulations to save mankind. As a child, Daquioag said he had always looked up to Christ, whom he depicted in his oil-on-canvas “Ang Superhero” wearing leather latex and a cape while being hung on the cross under a blood-dimmed sky.

“Amen of the Angels” by Dan Lerma gives off a three-dimensional effect, making it look like a sculpture from afar. Lerma uses acrylic to depict  angels facing each other and holding what looks like a reliquary bearing an image of a cross, using only different shades of gray.

Prefiguring the Ressurection

Interior designer Anna de Leon’s inspiration for her mixed-media painting “Thy Will Be Done” was Jesus Christ’s emotions during the Agony in the Garden. De Leon tries to capture the facial expression of Christ moments before He meets His inevitable fate. Her signature style uses different colors of pastel, as evident in this artwork.

Meanwhile, Felix Amoncio presents a foreshortened portrait of Christ on the cross in “Ang Huling Sigaw.” An oil-on-canvas painting, this artwork features Christ stripped down to the waist screaming to the heavens, as people below look at Him dumbfounded.

A Greek-god-inspired Jesus Christ is Singapore-based Wilfredo Offemaria’s submission to this year’s “Kristo,” its face tinted green with tears coming out of one eye. “Agnus Dei” uses acrylic in different brushstrokes to make the image of Christ resemble a statue.

Set against a background of rubescent sky, second-timer “Kristo” participant Pinggot Zulueta’s abstract oil-on-canvas “He Has Risen” depicts the carcass of Jesus Christ.

“The carcass signifies His sufferings,” Zulueta, an artist and photographer, said. He also explained the depiction prefigured Christ’s resurrection.

Roster of artists

Other artists on the roster include: Raul Agner, Leonard Aguinaldo, Hermes Alegre, Daniel Aligaen, Tet Ureta Aligaen, Ral Arrogante, Jun Alvarez, Reynaldo Amido, Mark Arcamo, Rey Aurelio, Jojo Austria, Pandy Aviado, Aris Bagtas, Anton Balão, Jojo Ballo, Aldrin Baluyot, Flor Español Baradi, Grandier Bella, Yveese Belen, Jet Bernal, Benjie Bisaya, Gerrico Blanco, Michael Cacnio, Henri Cainglet, Franklin Caña, Addie Cukingnan, Roen Bustos Capule, Salvador Ching, Seb Chua, Geloy Concepcion, Voltaire Contreras, Salvador Convocar, Cris Cruz, Ben Cenizal, Sherwin de Leon, Farley del Rosario, Danny Rayos del Sol, Rolly de la Cruz, Camille de la Rosa, Jun de los Santos, Robert Deniega, Ross Dionisio, Norman Dreo, Clarence Eduarte, Jaypee Enriquez, Alfred Esquillo, Anthony Fermin, Egai Fernandez, Iana Forbes, Heidi Franco, Caloy Gabuco, Carla Gamalinda, Shalimar Gonzaga, Rudolf Gonzales, Jaime Gubaton, Niño Hernandez, Rick Hernandez, Louie Ignácio, Juan Sajid Imao, Cathy Lasam, Rain Libiran, Ronnie Lim, Agang Maganda, Maria Magdamit, Lydia Manangan, Red Mansueto, Nick Masangkay, Norlie Meimban, Buhay Mendoza, Charmaigne Mendoza, Deng Coy Miel, Ferdie Montemayor, Eric Marquez, Honeylet Marquez, Oliver Marquez, Francis Nacion, Roel Obemio, Rodel Omampo, Andre Odavar, Carlito Ortega, Raphael Pagarigan, Paolo Picones, Jill Posadas, Noel Pama, Danilo Pangan, Edille Paras, Al Perez, Nix Puno, Omi Reyes, Ronald Ruiz, Chryz Rebutiaco, Danny Rodriguez, Vince Roque, Ton Raymundo, Jinggoy Salcedo, Eman Santos, Aner Sebastian, Ojing Senera, Janelle Tang, Marlon Tantoco, Rex Tatlonghari, Palma Tayona, Jomike Tejido, Rishab Tibon, Jilson Tiú, Christian Trinidad, Mar Torres, Gonzalo Uy, Joseph Villamar, Migs Villanueva and Orly Ypon.

“So Be It: Kristo 2012 ” runs until April 8 at Art Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong. Call 9108016 or 7882112.