Artist RM De Leon’s "No Plans" Is Figurative Abstraction
Artist RM de Leon has no plans of conforming to societal rules. He describes himself a rebel, as can be seen in his artworks—going for his instincts and creates abstract that sends a positive message in a visually impaired way. He explores the possibilities of crossbreeding painterly acts and graphic design sensibilities. Pop culture images, the cartoonish and kitsch, and even the banal are processed with a seemingly personalized Warholian approach. It’s this uniqueness that makes him stand out among the creative crowd.
In his current solo exhibit in Archivo 1984 called, “No Plans,” he takes on the randomness from which no specific visual agenda or narrative is imposed. Featuring his new paintings, it’s a display of vibrantly humorous portraits and landscapes which embody an unexpected order amidst the offbeat, manifesting a playful irony. His goal for this show is to present, in his words, a “formal elegance.”
It’s all there in the details—blotted lines, repetitious stamp-like figures, manipulations of pigment and paper, which he is known for. It speaks of, as the painter describes, the possibility of coherence in what is improvised. The chaos in order, as well as the order in chaos, can be seen in the mix of strokes, colors, and details dedicated to each piece.
In two words, RM puts it simply as “figurative abstraction.”
‘No Plans’ runs until November 28, 2017 at Archivo 1984, 2241 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City
