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Don't Miss Galerie Stephanie's 'Intensity, Intimately' and 'Reflections' Exhibits

A fan of contemporary art? You will want to make a visit to the gallery's simultaneous exhibits featuring Indonesian global sensation Roby Dwi Antono and renowned F

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Justin Alexandra Convento

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/28d30f4b-f8c3-4e43-ac1c-f66039e1cbdf_galerie stephanie roby dwi mark santos article banner.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">“Intensity, Intimately” and “Reflections” will be on view starting from April 2-17 at Galerie Stephanie, East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Artwork by Mark Santos/Mr. S and Roby Dwi Antono  </em></span></span></span></span></div><p>For fifteen years now, <strong>Galerie Stephanie</strong> has centered its presence in the industry by shining the light towards emerging artists through programs and projects aimed to blur the local and international art borders, paving the way for an unparalleled cross-cultural experience. In as much as they open the doors for foreign artists to engage with the Philippine market, their efforts also introduce Filipino talents to the global stage—and their newest endeavor underscores their attempts towards bringing forth a creative exchange between artists, enthusiasts, and followers alike.</p><div><br/></div><p>Converging the talents of global sensation and Indonesian pop-surrealist artist <strong>Roby Dwi Antono</strong> and fast-rising pop-surrealist Mark Jeffrey Santos, more popularly known as <strong>Mr. S</strong>, Galerie Stephanie directs our attention to the alluring world of surreal art through <em>Intensity, Intimately</em> and <em>Reflections by Mr. S</em>—simultaneous solo exhibitions scheduled for this month which highlight the work of these celebrated artists respectively.</p><div><br/></div><p>Antono, who has been a staple of the gallery’s programs since 2016, gained trajectory from a major exhibit in Art Fair Tokyo through Galerie Stephanie. Known for his rich, smooth, color-infused brushstrokes depicting a selection of symbolic icons inspired by nature, down to pop culture.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/6ec1fd13-89a2-4553-93ee-014009c013a2_roby dwi antono_bundle of joy 100 x 80 cm charcoal on canvas.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;Bundle of Joy&#x27;, 100 x 80 cm, Charcoal on canvas<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Roby Dwi Antono  </em></span></span></span></span></div><p><em>Intensity, Intimately </em>is Antono’s second solo show which shines the spotlight on his inclinations towards iconic Japanese characters such as the <em>Kaiju</em>, a type of monster similar to Godzilla that is either an antagonist or protagonist. The artist uses the duality of the <em>Kaiju</em> as a mythical creature and expounds on this concept through the lens of a child forming a parasocial relationship with the TV characters they grew up watching, back when society wasn’t consumed with the internet, social media, or smartphones.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1c8a800a-102b-4925-a9e3-8edf6ef45190_roby dwi antono_lonesome hero 100 x 80 cm charcoal on canvas.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;Lonesome Hero&#x27;, 100 x 80 cm, Charcoal on canvas<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Roby Dwi Antono  </em></span></span></span></span></div><p>You’ll be able to see various works that delve into what appears to be an emotional connection between the child subject and the <em>Kaiju</em> through ‘Us’ and ‘We Are Together’, as well as another familiar superhero like Ultraman in ‘Lonesome Hero,’— all of which were materialized through black and white oil pastels on canvas. Other illustrated pieces from Antono are also highlighted in this exhibition, which shows a more pensive depiction of the artist’s style.</p><div><br/></div><p>Mark Jeffrey Santos, popularly known as Mr. S, began his career in video and film until 2014 when he found his way into becoming the rising visual artist we know today. Dubbed by some as the new ‘it boy’ of art, his creations are steeped in fantasy, and usually reflect wide-eyed characters in a dreamlike setting expressed through brilliant techniques in constructing imaginary, bordering on surreal scenes. With images that show his penchant for adventurous and larger-than-life personas, there’s an instant and comfortable connection that is established once a viewer comes to experience his art.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/4b6404f8-37b5-4b3e-8996-410cfb20f9c7_doppelganger_4x3_2022 1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;Doppelganger&#x27;, 4x3, 2022 <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Mr. S  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/culture/art-theatre/metro-artist-profiles-paulina-luz-sotto/29075" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Metro Artist Profiles: Paulina Luz Sotto</a></div><p>In <em>Reflections</em>, Santos shows how society affects the way we live our lives and how the norms—the unwritten ‘rules’ that society bestows upon its inhabitants—contribute to our fears. In his quest to acknowledge human nature’s longing for acceptance, Mr. S touches on the manner in which we adhere to what others dictate and compromise our authentic selves. </p><div><br/></div><p>As seen in ‘Encounter with Myself’, ‘Mirror Image’ and ‘Eye to Eye&#x27;, one would instantly notice the conflict we usually find whenever we appease others at our personal expense. The emotions of disappointment and anger from his subject is clearly manifested in this series, which makes for an immediate connection with anyone who fixes their gaze on it.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/7d4542c8-5450-4cfc-a98a-464d819962d9_eye to eye_4x3_2022 1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;Eye to eye&#x27;, 4x3, 2022<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Mr. S  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>While Antono’s work showcases his nostalgic expressions of iconic TV and comic characters as a symbolic message of heroism and power, his pieces are able to complement Mr. S’s somber use of famous Japanese iconography through introspective journeying. Spectators who grew up in the 90s will most especially find their collections familiar and appealing, as they lived through the era when comics served as one of the most popular and accessible forms of literature. Besides offering an outlet for escape and entertainment, comics also echoed the sentiments and interests of a wide audience hailing from the middle to low-income social classes. </p><div><br/></div><p>The growth of both these artists in recent years has been significantly exponential in their careers, with collectors eagerly anticipating their exhibitions, even selling out consistently in various galleries and art initiatives. With their amplified influence in the contemporary art world despite these unprecedented times, they intensify Galerie Stephanie&#x27;s growing visions for a more diversified art community between the Philippines and the world.</p><div><br/></div><div><em>“Intensity, Intimately” and “Reflections” will be on view starting from April 2-17, 2022, at Galerie Stephanie, located at the 4th floor East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong. For inquiries, kindly email inquiry.galeriestephanie@gmail.com or call +632 7940-5726.</em><br/></div>

A fan of contemporary art? You will want to make a visit to the gallery's simultaneous exhibits featuring Indonesian global sensation Roby Dwi Antono and renowned Filipino artist Mr. S