FOR the entire month of March, Qube Gallery hosts the first solo exhibitions of three graduating fine arts students of the University of the Philippines – Cebu College.
Aptly titled “The Bright Eyes Series,” which signifies the fresh outlook these young artists offer, the series kicked of on Mar. 4 with Thom Jopson’s collection, “Imaginary Friends.”
“Imaginary Friends” is a peek of the artist’s perception of the people around him, one that’s fairly personal and privileged, as it touches on insights of relationships. It is a collection of images that blends real experiences with elements of mythology, creating a universe that’s almost make-believe and mystical—almost imaginary.
“Each painting depicts the mix of emotions I had in a specific time frame of my life,” Thom said. He describes his work as mainly influenced by the romanticist approach.
Born and raised in Tacloban City, Thom moved to Cebu six years ago to pursue his art studies. His passion for the arts dates back to his childhood days when he would use to craft makeshift action figures from rubber slippers, and his fascination with the exaggerated emotions and vivid colors he would see in animation.
Thom’s exhibit will run until Mar. 10, Monday. The student art series will continue with “Talesbox: Container of Emotions” by Jiyun Kim from Mar. 11 to 17, followed by “A. B. Solution” by Kevin Cabrera from Mar. 18 to 24.