Exhibitions

Oriental calligraphic art is a paradox. It builds upon solid, historically formed, and rigidly ruled symbol characters that brook no dissent as to sequence of strokes or quarantined spaces. And yet, when the adept wields his brush and demonstrates his spirit upon these blocks of conventional meaning, the mountains tremble, the rivers sing, and the whole world opens up to the skies.

This paradox of oriental calligraphy pervades Janice Liuson-Young’s latest exhibit of paintings. There are the structural elements, basic colors, and physical properties of her oeuvre, sometimes resembling the grid-like quality of the columns and rows of Chinese couplets. Yet these do not dominate but merely serve as scaffolding.

Because with bold, sweeping brush strokes and graceful waves of paint, Liuson-Young unfurls new forms of pictorial space, juxtaposing streaks of playful imagination against symmetry and balance.

This joyful clash is no amateur effort, but a product of hard won wisdom, painful experience, and artistic rebirth. Here, there is both radical dissent and the seasoned acceptance of limits and structure that mirror the struggle for true human freedom in both art and life.

Janice Liuson-Young is a visual artist and art educator from Manila. She graduated cum laude and valedictorian from the University of the Philippines, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Visual Communications(1986). She is part of the Guhit Group of Artist and is the Associate Dean of the FEATI University School of Fine Arts (2005-present).

Janice Liuson-Young is adept at abstracts and realistic interpretations, and has done solo and group exhibits both locally and internationally since 1998. “The Black and White of Life”, works by Janice Liuson-Young will be showcased at Galerie Joaquin, U.P. Town Center from July 2 - 11, 2020. The Galerie is located at the 2nd Floor, Phase 2, U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Quezon City. For more information, contact (+63)2 8247 1109 or email galeriejoaquin@gmail.com.