Elmer Borlongan is a contemporary painter who is known for figurative expressionism as his main visual approach.
*For Borlongan, drawing is the foundation of art practice. Starting at the young age of 10, he learned to capture depth, mass, and volume through regular drawing exercises his father prepared. His art training continued under the tutelage of Fernando Sena, and later at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts.
Today, after more than 20 years since his first solo exhibition, drawing continues to be the backbone of Borlongan’s work process. With a notebook or sketch pad and pen or pencil on hand, his drawings are almost like snapshots, capturing the extraordinary in the lives of the ordinary – an interesting persona or a thought-provoking scene. Quick sketches – drawn while on the road, in traffic, or in his many travels – serve as preliminary studies fro characters in later paintings. Some subjects are recalled from memory, at times tweaked to heighten a mood or feeling.
This retrospective of drawings also reveals the artist’s stylistic development, from the early raw and realistic forms to the more stylized and writhing figures he is known for. In these works, mostly coming from his personal collection, we become witness to the unveiling of a story or the reworking of a character. What persists throughout is his empathy for ordinary subjects and their day to day and simple pleasures. With his sensitive eyes and composed hands, Borlongan empowers the line.
Elmer Borlongan Draws the Line showcases a restrospective of Borlongan’s works that go as far back as 1970 at the Ateneo Art Gallery, Areté within the confines of Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City. Elmer Borlongan Draws the Line exhibit occupies the second floor of the three-story art gallery and will run until 13 May 2018.
Viewing the exhibit is free of charge. Outsiders are welcome to enter the Ateneo Art Gallery, but they are required to leave an identification card at the gate.
*From the Elmer Borlongan Draws the Line exhibit.
For related entries, please read Ateneo Art Gallery and Ateneo Art Gallery, Areté.
Elmer Borlongan Draws the Line Exhibit at the Ateneo Art Gallery, Areté. The exhibit is from 20 February to 13 May 2018.
Areté Contact Number:
(02) 426 – 6001 local 4160
Areté Email for Reservations and Inquiries:
arete@ateneo.edu
Areté Museum Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 9am to 7pm
Sunday: 9am to 5pm
Closed on Mondays and Holidays
Areté Address:
University Road, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City (Areté is near Gate 3, across Ricardo and Dr. Rosita Leong Hall)