Negation, religion, memory, disconnection are all different ways to adjust to an asynchronous society. For Filipino artist, Kristoffer Ardena, not only is society the focus of his speculation, but physical fragments of daily life are also material of his works. Ghost Painting is a series the artist has been working on for the past three years; the works are large abstract paintings made out of everyday materials, sourced from any ordinary Filipino household. The ephemerality of substances, their often unpredictable reactions, or the randomness of their effects are all a part of the artist's creative process. The artist is not in full control of the final result, and the probability of the outcome is also a part of the process. The essence of the material and also its function are emphasised, showing that artworks are not always created under advantageous or perfect circumstances, but can be a result of everyday life and stories.
Read MoreHis research, under a conceptual point of view, focuses on the topic of 'topicality within the Philippine context'. His process consists in a specific artistic working methodology that, establishing a relationship among various materials, affirms the need to relate to alternative and non-traditional materials that might directly express natural energy and ideas. His work results in a very aesthetic art, expressed through a totally international language, universally understandable. Despite the thematic, his works position themselves on a global platform and he is not identifiable as belonging to a specific local context.
Text courtesy Tang Contemporary Art.
