PHANTASMAGORIA by Averil Paras

PHANTASMAGORIA, presented by Galerie Joaquin, is a solo exhibition of Filipino visual artist, Averil Paras. On view from 19 August to 1 September 2022 with an Artist’s Reception on 19 August (Friday) at 6:00 PM at the ArtistSpace located at Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City.

An avid storyteller, Averil Paras continues to open his narrative scope in Phantasmagoria, a series of works melding the mystical and mythical, in the artist’s signature style of whimsical painting.

In these mythic tableaux, sylvan scenes are populated by wistful characters and phantasmagoric creatures, arrested by a tuneful atmosphere that courses throughout, be it from the music of a lute, a fiddle, and a bassoon, or the quiet of still waters and open fields.

Told in his distinctive visual language bearing the influences of cubism, surrealism, and magic realism, Paras works with a more limited palette that cloaks his mise-en-scènes with splendor and mystery. Central to each work are strong female figures, modeled after the formidable Filipina, whose stories of headstrong ambition and steadfastness Paras transcribes in works like matayog and kaagapay.

Averil Paras has been capturing his audience’s attention through his stories carefully crafted in his paintings. A consistent Metrobank Art and Design Excellence finalist, he had formal training in Fine Arts (as an Advertising major) at FEATI University. His passion to transcribe stories onto his contemporary canvas has earned him spots in the Ateneo Art Auction for two successive years, and in the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Auctions for three years.

*Photography by Rex Reynaldo Cabugon

08.19.22

About the works: