Garden In The Sky
Herbert Pajarito
October 23 – 31, 2022
Curated: Ricky Francisco

Herbert Pajarito is known for his meticulously hand-drawn pen and ink works, as well as his lavishly detailed acrylic on canvas paintings. This is consistently evident in “Garden in the Sky”, his seventh solo exhibition at Art Lounge Manila.  In this exhibit, viewers are treated to a panoply of works inspired by a lucid dream of the artist, one where he visits a paradise of peace and tranquility replete with flowers, all manner of fantastical plants, and amazing animals, hidden somewhere in the vastness of space.  The 2013 Metrobank Grand Prize winner has been consistent in his technique, as well as his message of the divine’s hidden hand in creation in most, if not all, of his previous exhibitions.  But this is most noticeable in his 4^th solo exhibition “Sky Lights” and 6^th solo exhibition “Divine Presence”, and now, “Garden in the Sky” where the narratives of an order in creation and a spiritual reality are evident.

In “Garden in the Sky”, we are treated by Pajarito to the same awe he has for the power of the Creator.  He expresses this through his detailed works, which combine flowers with constellations, and other details like continuous line drawings, spots of color, and other spontaneous expressions of pattern which create the impression of wonder in what is natural and beautiful.  A noticeable addition to his usual technique is the rainbow hued bars which make the works even more colorful and vibrant.  They also create movement in the already dynamic works of the artist, giving an impression of energetic fun.

One of the main works in the exhibition is “Bloom in Space”, an opus of profuse details and layered images.  The work appears like Indonesian batik from afar, but reveal their intricate details up close.  These details allow us to imagine a trip to space, similar to what the artist dreamt of, hurtling us into some distant unknown.  In our journey we find so many things like stars and constellations, nebulae and universes.  This view is supported by the minor works called the Cosmos Series, which appear as flowers.  This visual metaphor seems to echo the famous lines of Blake “To see the world in a blade of grass. And heaven in a wild flower. To Hold infinity in the palm of your hand. And eternity in an hour.” Going into the works, we are enrapt in the images which unfold as we journey into this cosmos which the artist shares.  To be immersed in it is to find meaning and awe in something greater.  What this something is, can only be inferred in the immensity of scale we are brought to, with the minutiae of the artist’s works.  We see some complex order in what seems to be chaotic at first impression, until the grand narrative discloses itself to the wandering eye.

The exhibition will run from October 23 – 31, 2022 at Art Lounge Manila – Podium, Ortigas Center. For more information, visit the Art Lounge Manila website, www.artloungemanila.com. You may also check their social media pages, FB: @artloungemanila IG: @artloungemanila, for more details.