A Landmark Art Show Presents Early Works from the Personal Collections of Iconic Filipino Artists

Mandaluyong City, Philippines - April 24, 2025 - Imahica Art Gallery announces the opening of Timeless Strokes, an exhibition that unveils early works from the private collections of some of the Philippines' most esteemed contemporary artists. Running from May 10 to 31, 2025, at Imahica's space in Lee Gardens, Wack-wack, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, the exhibition highlights the roots of a nation’s creative legacy through the rarely seen early pieces of its celebrated talents.

Timeless Strokes spans nearly 50 years of Philippine artistic expression, from 1970 to 2019, offering a glimpse into formative pieces that remained hidden in studios, sketchbooks, and personal archives. These works are introspective, exploratory, and intimate. They mark the beginnings of artistic identities that would later help shape Philippine visual culture.

Featured artists include Hermes Alegre, Pandy Aviado, Remy Boquiren, Benjie Cabangis, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Antonio Daroy, Fil Delacruz, Anna Fer, Raul Lebajo, Julie Lluch, Tony Pájaro, Cid Reyes, Cesare A.X. Syjuco, Jean Marie Syjuco, Lydia Velasco, Nestor Olarte Vinluan, and Phyllis Zaballero. These individuals have made indelible marks on the Philippine art landscape, and in Timeless Strokes, they are reintroduced through earlier works that reveal the core of their creative spirit.

Imelda Cajipe Endaya, "Itlog Na Maalat I, A/P for edition of 20", Etching and aquatint, 21" x 20", 1974

These works are not showpieces but soul pieces, selected by the artists to remain in their personal collections. They reflect moments of risk, inquiry, and pivotal turning points in their creative development, intimate explorations that shaped their artistic identities long before widespread recognition.

Preserved over the years, these pieces offer a unique opportunity to reflect on the evolution of technique, form, and individual voice. Audiences will see how early artistic impulses, whether through brushwork, material use, or conceptual focus, laid the groundwork for careers that would span decades.

Many of the works echo the context of their times, providing insight into how these artists responded to their surroundings and inner creative instincts. From minimalist studies to expressive figuration and early forays into abstraction, the collection demonstrates a range of approaches and a shared commitment to craft, experimentation, and expression.

Timeless Strokes presents an introspective counterpoint to major retrospectives. It turns the spotlight on moments of becoming, when a line, a gesture, or a fragment of thought hints at the directions to come. For longtime admirers and new audiences, the show offers a deeper understanding of how a legacy begins.

In revisiting the early work of these notable artists, this art show becomes not only a celebration of Philippine art but a meditation on the artistic journey itself, with all its uncertainties, breakthroughs, and quiet convictions.

For inquiries, contact 0917 894 5646 or email thegallery@imahica.art. More information is available at www.imahica.art.

Antonio Daroy, "SLUMBER", Mixed Media, 18" x 24”, 1977

Cesare A.X. Syjuco, "Drawing is to Painting is to Drawing", Acrylic and Pencil on Canvas, 24" x 24" (canvas size ) / Approx. 30" x 30" (framed size), 2013

Julie Lluch, "The Kiss", Cast marble & Acrylic, 12" x 13" x 10", 2010 to 2015

Jean Marie Syjuco, "Enigma", Acrylic on Canvas, 36" x 36" (canvas size) / 42" x 42" (framed size), 2017 / 2018

Phyllis Zaballero, "Untitled 0015, 1983", Acrylic on Paper, 16.5" x 11.75", 1983

Fil Delacruz, "Nimula, Buligi Akan Diyisak Ukon", Mezzotint, 21.5" x 13.5", 1982

Raul Lebajo , "Aquamarine", Oil on Canvas, 40" x 30", 1991