Art is more than just the visual appeal it showcases. It is an avenue for expression and it helps people cope—especially the artists behind it. Art is able to cultivate the humanistic need in each of us not just to survive but to live and to celebrate our losses alongside our wins.

Contemporary surrealist Ryan Uy could very well attest to that.

Uy’s art exhibit entitled “A Remembrance of Rain” opened on April 29 at Qube Contemporary, Design Center of Cebu. The collection showcases a series of artworks that evoked a unique take on rainy days. The common association of rain with melancholy was overturned by the artist’s integration of wistful tones of pastel colors.

When asked what the inspiration behind his present art exhibit was, the young artist answered, “It was my way of telling the world that I am finally okay after the death of my father.”

Uy also shared that his previous art collection entitled “Nothing Is the Same Again” was a homage to his father’s unfortunate passing due to cancer which gave him reprieve to express the anguish he had suffered through the harrowing experience of losing a parent.

In a way, “A Remembrance of Rain” is symbolically a testament to his transition—from being grief-stricken to finally moving on.

“It is somewhat a transition,” the artist said. “You can distinguish the difference between the two collections. ‘Nothing is the Same Again’ used dark and shadowed colors while ‘A Remembrance of Rain’ depicted pastels and soft colors. It shows the normal me.”

Also, in his pieces for the current collection, confetti substituted the presence of rain. This points toward the thought that healing isn’t linear. Healing doesn’t entirely erase the presence of rain, it merely makes it tolerable or in Ryan’s case, mirthful in pastel colors. The artist also said he didn’t want it to seem like he moved on easily; the pain of losing his father will always be there. He just wanted to tackle it in a brighter and more hopeful way.

“A Remembrance of Rain” is still available for public viewing until May 31 at Qube Contemporary, Design Center of Cebu located on A.S. Fortuna St. in Mandaue City, Cebu. The gallery is open from 12 to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday.