In the New York viewing room, Silverlens will present a collection of miniature paintings on capiz shells by Gregory Halili.
Miniatures are a type of secular art with a long-standing history in the Middle East as an important element of decoration often used in medieval manuscripts. In the Philippines, the popularity of capiz shells can be traced back to the first dictionary of the Tagalog language, authored in 1860. Within it, the entry for capiz reads la ventana or window as the shells are cut and processed until light is able to filter through. In this series of miniature oil paintings, Halili pushes the material to its most fragile state, almost to the point of breaking. These capiz shells are thinned down until they are glass-like, which allows for the paintings of the butterflies and moths on the reverse to be seen on the other side. "What at first may look like simple, beautiful works of butterflies and moths are actually a commentary on the complex, fragile state of the environment and the unpredictable future," says Halili.
Press release courtesy SILVERLENS.
505 West 24th Street
New York, 10011
United States
www.silverlensgalleries.com
+1 646 449 9400
Tuesday – Saturday
10am – 6pm