Press Release

Leslie de Chavez Solo Exhibition

God Is Busy

Opening Reception | 2011. 11. 15 (Tue) 5pm

Period | 2011. 11. 15 (Tue) – 2012. 01. 15 (Sun)

Venue | Arario Gallery Cheonan

Works | Paintings, sculptures, installations, drawings

Arario Gallery Cheonan is pleased to present God Is Busy, a solo exhibition by the

young Filipino artist Leslie de Chavez, from November 15th 2011 to January 15th,

2012. As his ninth solo show, 4 years since the exhibition Red-eyed Brother held in

Korea in 2007, this grand-scale exhibition presents 20-some works in various genres,

including painting, sculpture, installation and drawing.

Manila-born Filipino artist Leslie de Chavez (b. 1978) is a young artist who cautiously deals

with sensitive subjects like imperialism, colonization and religion of his country. He is also

an artist who contemplates deeply the function, influence and directivity of art in a society.

Recognized for his distinguished talent and sensibility in painting, the artist casts a bitter

metaphor on the society he lives in, suggesting a response to reality through

reconstructing the icons and symbols of the times. This is suggested by employing

characters like Ronald McDonald, the ultimate icon of Capitalism, which signifies

depersonalization and corruption from commercialization; by casting a pessimistic

depiction of soulless countrymen with deep sunken eyes; by frequently portraying banana

- Philippine’s main production. The struggles of his country are also demonstrated

through the title of his past exhibitions such as Banana Republic - a term describing an

unstable and economically insufficient republic that relies on assistance from other

stronger nations - and Buntong Hininga – meaning deep sigh – reflecting the response of

the victimization of Filipinos amid power conflict.

The title of this solo exhibition, God Is Busy, relates to the unique religious characteristics

of Philippines with 90% of Catholic population. De Chavez explores the concept of

dictatorship in everyday life juxtaposing it with the idea of obsession with the omnipotent

presence. God Is Busy is a cynical and declaratory statement to those who only sluggishly

seek answers and solutions from the creator through prayer, rather than face reality. It’s an

implication on the fact that change comes from courage and nothing can be achieved

without action. The title delivers the artist’s hope to transform passive reliance on religion,

social system and customs into a will to change reality.

Leslie de Chavez’s value system about society and art is firm and clear. He invites

introspection on reality through works that reflect hard work and passion, and stand apart

in the world of contemporary art that overflows with visually appealing work without

conceptual content. We invite you to take part and share the outstanding practice and

potential of Leslie de Chavez’s art through this exhibition.

Artist Statement

My practice has involved the creation of diverse art forms that scrutinizes various issues of

Philippine society such as history, colonialism, religion, imperialism, miseducation, power

struggle, contemporary culture, politics and social values. My process entails resurfacing

of historical templates, re-examining contemporary social discourse and rediscovering

introspection as methods to pin down the truth about the many realities we Filipinos are

experiencing. As an artist, I believe that responding to our continuous victimization from

the chronic conditions of our society through art can be truly liberating.

Leslie de Chavez. 2011

Leslie De Chavez

Leslie De Chavez graduated as a top student from University of the Philippines College of

Fine Arts in 1999, he began his artistic career in 2002. He had his first solo exhibition in

2003 at Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines. He first became recognized in Korea

after being selected for Asian Artists Fellowship Program at IASK Goyang Art Studio in

2005 and much attention was paid during ‘Red-eyed Brother,’ an exhibition curated from

his representative Arario gallery since 2007. Soon, he had exhibitions at Avanthay

Contemporary in Switzerland, Silverens Galleries in Philipines, Alternative Space Loop, and

participated in 3rd Nanjing Triennial, Leipzig International Art Programme and 3rd Asian

Art Biennial organized by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. He has been awarded

many times and participated in various residency programs. Not only an artist, he also

organizes South-east Asian contemporary art exhibitions.

Leslie de Chavez Born in Manila, Philippines, 1978

Lives and works in Manila

EDUCATION

1999 BFA in Painting, University of the Philippines, Manila,

Philipines

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2011 God Is Busy, Arario Gallery, Cheonan, Korea

2010 Buntong Hininga, Silverlens Galleries, Manila, Philippines

2008 Banana Republic, Avanthay Contemporary, Zurich, Switzerland

2007 Red-eyed Brother, Arario Seoul, Seoul, Korea

Leslie de Chavez, Arario Beijing, Beijing, China

2006 Tropical Delight, Window Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

Ichimaseyo (Do Not Forget Me), Goyang Art Studio Gallery, Korea

2004 San Ysidro Dismayado, Pahiyas Festival, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines

2003 Bahid (Stain), Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2011 3rd Asian Art Biennial: Meditation, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan

Rundgang 2011, Leipzig International Art Programme, Leipzig, Germany

Self Camera: Repositioning Modern Self, Changwon Asian Art Festival, Korea

We Was There, Yuchengco Museum, Manila, Philippines

2010 Beacons of Archipelago, Arario Gallery, Cheonan, Korea

Nanjing Biennale, Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, China

Rainbow Asia, Seoul Art Center, Seoul, Korea

Collection Show 2010, Arario Gallery, Seoul, Korea

Reflection, Bupyeong Art Center, South, Korea

Artists With Arario, Arario Gallery, Cheonan, Korea

2009 We Said Our Piece, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila

2008 3rd Nanjing Triennial, Nanjing, China

2007 First Pocheon Asia Biennale, Pocheon, South, Korea

2006 Bikini in Winter, Alternative Space Loop, Seoul, Korea

2005 Beppu Asia Biennale of Contemporary Art, Beppu Museum, Japan

2003 Urbanisasyon, Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines

Buklod, Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines

2002 Recent Works, Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines

Surface, Ayala Museum, Manila, Philippines

ART FAIRS PARTICIPATION

2011 ManilArt 11, Manila, Philippines

Art Stage Singapore, Singapore

2010 ManilArt 10, Manila, Philippines

Art Hong Kong 10, Hong Kong

2009 Art Taipei 2009, Taiwan

Art Hong Kong 09, Hong Kong

2008 Pulse Miami Contemporary Art Fair, Miami, USA

Kunst Art Fair, Zurich, Switzerland

ARCO Art Fair 2008, Madrid, Spain

2007 Art Beijing Art 2007, Beijing, China

First Asian Contemporary Art Fair (ACAF), New York, USA

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

2011 Leipzig International Art Programme, Leipzig, Germany

2010 Goethe Institute, Travel Grant (Art Forum 10), Berlin, Germany

Ateneo Art Awards, “Shattering States” (Prize Winner), Philippines

2007 Neo-Emerging Artists Residency, Dangsan Studio, Seoul, Korea

2005 IASK Goyang Art Studio, Asian Artists Fellowship Program, Korea

Beppu Asia Biennale of Contemporary Art 2005, Beppu Art Museum, Japan

2003 Metrobank Foundation Young Painters’ Annual (2nd Prize)

1999 Oblecine: Film and Video Art Festival, University of the Philippines (Honorable

Mention)

UP President’s Committee on Culture and Arts, 1st Film and Video Art Festival (3rd

Prize)

1998 UP President’s Committee on Culture and Arts, Most Outstanding Student Artist

Gawad Chancellor, Student Achiever for National Competitions, University of the

Philippines

ART-RELATED ACTIVITIES

2011 Collaborator, Southeast Asian Art Group Exchange Residency, Kuala Lumpur,

Jogjakarta, Manila

Project Manager, We Was There, Yuchengco Museum, Philippines

2010 Collaborator, Seoksu Art Project, Supplement Space Stone & Water, Anyang, Korea

Project Manager, Reflections, Bupyeong Art Center, Incheon, Korea

2009 Project Manager, Plastic Syndrome, Artist Exchange & Exhibition, Art Space Plastic,

Incheon, Korea

Project Coordinator, Artriangle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2008 Project Coordinator, Tenggara: Recent Paintings from Malaysia, Indonesia,

Philippines, Liverpool, UK

2007 Director, Project Space Pilipinas, Manila, Philippines (to date)

2005 Co-curator, First Dumaguete Open Biennial Terra Cotta Art Festival, Philippines

2004 Assistant curator, In Memory of a Talisman: The Works of Santiago Bose,

Philippines

2003 Curator, Urbanisasyon, Kulay Diwa Galleries, Manila, Philippines

Images ** Images may differ

God is Busy, oil on shaped canvas, 195 x 300 cm, 2011

Daily Dose, oil on canvas, 140 x 200 cm, 2011

Trick or T(h)reat, oil on canvas, 140 x 200 cm, 2011

Vanity = Spectacle + Drama, oil on canvas, 140 x 200 cm, 2011

Through the Looking Glass, oil on canvas, 200 x 150 cm, 2011

Same Old Bananas, resin, gold leaf, wooden table, brass _ installation variable, 2010

Numb, oil on shaped canvas, 152 x 122 cm, 2010

Image courtesy the Artist and Arario gallery

◎ Inquiry

Yoonkyung Kim, PR/Coordinator

yoon@arariogallery.com

011 9110 8988, 041) 640-6263 (Cheonan), 02) 723-6190 (Seoul)

Su Jung Kim, Assistant Curator

sue@arariogallery.com

010 5056 8869, 041) 640-6263 (Cheonan), 02) 723-6190 (Seoul)

◎ Image Download

Webhard: http://www.webhard.co.kr

ID: arariogallery / PW : arario

Download Only -> 1. ARARIO GALLERY_CHEONAN -> God Is Busy Press Release folder

◎ Information

Arario Gallery Cheonan

Period: 2011. 11. 15(Tue)-2012. 1. 15(Sun)

Venue: 354-1 Shinbu-dong Dongnam-gu Cheonan-si, Choongnam, Korea

Inquiry: 041) 551-5100

Hours : 11:00am–07:00pm, Tuesday-Sunday

www.arariogallery.com