Imahika Art presents: ES IST WAS ES IST: Art as Sites of Inquiry and Acceptance

ES IST WAS ES IST is a group exhibition curated by Lester Amacio, who believes abstraction is poetry. It opened on August 10 and will run until August 25 25, 2024. This thought-provoking collection of artworks invites viewers to engage and question the intersections of perception and reality through an array of contemporary artworks.

Expansion of Artistic Interrogations

Art becomes a lens through which we can express and examine our own acceptance of reality––be it through resignation or fervent explorations. The works on display encourage us to probe deeper into the fine line between resignation and resilience. These artistic interrogations capture the artist’s own introspection in the universal human experience of truths that cannot be altered. What can art be, if not a vessel of interpretations? Interrogation does not lie in form, but in the soul of the artist. The absence of concrete forms in abstract art pieces invites viewers to interpret their own experiences and understanding of our surroundings. Each artwork serves as a catalyst for introspection, inviting viewers to interrogate their own beliefs about control, destiny, and acceptance.

“It is what it is” – A Reflection of Life’s Intrinsic Nature

As life is defined to be immutable, and us imperfect beings continue to hold on to our forbearance, art allows space to confront and reflect on the unchangeable elements of our world and our responses to them. Art has always been about making sense of the world around us. These artists use their craft to articulate the tension between what is beyond our control and how we choose to engage with it. The exhibition traverses across the process of understanding and reconciling with what cannot be changed, exploring the ways in which abstract art can reflect and challenge our perceptions of reality. How do we make sense of this inevitability?

Art Connects the Heart and the Hands

“It is what it is” – a statement that implies passive acceptance without resistance, something that seemingly involves embracing situations for what they are rather than what they could be. Art serves as a vessel that allows acceptance and interrogation. By engaging with deeper philosophical inquiry, art offers unique perspectives and responses to what we understand as inevitable. The call for introspection is a form of acceptance, and creation itself is resignation to the craft. The abstract nature of the pieces and the concrete reality of its form invites the viewers to engage and respond to the works. We give as much of ourselves to what we make and what it makes us feel.

Poetic Abstractions

Life as we know it is defined by challenges and obstacles we encounter in our lives. Through Art, the complexity of being –– from simultaneous feelings of contentment and frustration –– takes form in abstract pieces. Directed by dark hues and defined lines, we are invited to look within ourselves and to create meaningful dialogue in these artistic expressions.

Participating artists include Dave Lock, Erik Sausa, Frank Nobleza, Jonathan Benitez, Lester Amacio, Peter James Fantinalgo, and Ross Kim Almendras.

Here is just a selection of the artworks in this exhibit: (click on the arrow to see the artworks)