He’s only 25 years old but Jade Lugtu is set to hold his first solo exhibit at ARTablado in Robinsons Antipolo from June 16 – 30. It will consist of 52 large-scale acrylic paintings on canvas that are sure to catch the eye of viewers because of their size and bright, vivid colors.
Using swirls and lashes of multi-colored paint, Lugtu attempts to convey and elicit a range of emotions from his audience. On his Instagram (@artofjadelugtu), he captions photos of his paintings with quotes.
A blue and white canvas with dynamic splashes of black, yellow and red conjures the image of a ship on a stormy sea. He then quotes artist Robert Wyland: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
Lugtu who took up Mass Communication and graduated from the Universidad de Manila was already drawn to the creative arts as a child. “I was six years old when I started drawing and coloring. I loved participating in different school activities and would win at academic- and art-related contests.”
Back then, the images he drew were more grounded in the real world, the one he lived in. These included landscapes, anime, doodles as well as lettering and poster design for the contests he would join at school.
Later, as he grew older and began experimenting, Lugtu was drawn to the works of abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock, Wassily Kandinsky, Lee Krasner and Mark Rothko. He is also inspired by Filipino artists like BenCab, Jose Joya, Ang Kiukok and Kidlat Tahimik.
“I developed my art style through different experimentations. I started by drawing landscapes, and sketching animals and human figures until I discovered my passion for abstract art,” the artist said.
American artist Jackson Pollock is known for his “violent” painting method where he would tack a piece of unstretched canvas on a wall or the floor before smearing, pouring or flinging paint at it. His innovative technique became known as “action painting”—a style that can be seen on Lugtu’s canvases.
“I was inspired Pollock because of his valuable influence in Abstract Expressionism. His great contribution and uncompromising commitment awakened the art world. By creating such masterpieces, he conveyed a stroke of expression that holds powerful messages and artistic liberty,” Lugtu said.
In his solo exhibit entitled, “Infinite Expressions,” the artist said he “wants to show the significance of acknowledging infinite emotions and inspire people with my story—that they can also turn their misery into something unique and beautiful.”
This milestone won’t be his last because Lugtu is self-aware. He knows that there is still room for improvement, skills to discover, failures to commit and lessons to be learned on his journey as an artist.
“I trust that ARTablado supports and maximizes their platform to provide opportunities for Filipino artists. They also help unveil and give confidence to aspiring and undiscovered Filipino talents,” he said.
Established in 2020, Robinsons Land ARTablado, a portmanteau of “art” and “entablado” is Robinsons Land’s very own stage in showcasing the Filipino ingenuity and creativity. This platform allows emerging and established artists to freely express themselves through art and paves the way to greater recognition of their talent and hard work. To date, ARTablado has mounted numerous exhibitions and hosted over 300 artists.
