Manila Cathedral After Dark

Medium: Oil, acrylic, and lacquer on canvas

Dimension: 36 x 36 inches

Year: 2025

Description

Rendered in the traditional Flemish method, Manila Cathedral After Dark reimagines the iconic dome of the Manila Cathedral as a celestial monument adrift in the cosmos. Executed in oil, acrylic, and lacquer, the piece juxtaposes sacred architecture with vast interstellar imagery, inviting reflection on faith, time, and our place in the universe. Cherubim—familiar yet Filipinized in their playful pose —anchors the divine within our cultural identity, fusing heritage with a modern cosmic narrative.

Liberation of Hell

Medium: Oil, acrylic, and lacquer on canvas
Dimension: 36 x 48 inches

Year: 2025
Description

Hell can be both literal and figurative. In the allegorical painting of the Liberation of Hell, hell is conquered by planting a cross in the middle of the raging inferno by God’s soldiers, the Filipinized cherubs. Earth is carried away by a cherub to Heaven, signifying that it is ‘saved’ from the damnation of hell. In its figurative meaning, hell represents our challenges, which could be depression, hopelessness, stress, and failure that can be overcome if we look above and invoke divine intervention.

Medium: Oil, acrylic, and lacquer on canvas
Dimension: 24 x 36 inches

Year: 2024

Description
There are two usually conflicting perspectives about the origin of the universe. One is the theological perspective that God created it. The other is the scientific hypothesis that it is a product of the Big Bang, where its current state is a product of billions of years of evolution. In this painting, She-God inserts the artistic perspective of the origin of the universe. This perspective asserts that the universe is not a product of creation or evolution but rather painted by God and that God is a She.

She-God

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 30 x 47 inches

Year: 2024

Description

In Mayon After Dark, the iconic volcano is reimagined not only as a national landmark but also as a cosmic bridge between the terrestrial and the celestial. Set against a surreal night sky teeming with galaxies, planets, and heavenly bodies, Mayon rises serenely amidst a dreamlike landscape that blurs the boundaries of Earth and space. To its right, Cagsawa Ruins stands like a weathered sentinel, grounding the viewer in Philippine heritage, even as the swirling cosmos above challenges the notion of geographical constraint. This painting situates the Mayon Volcano as a portal, a place where memory, mythology, and the multiverse converge. It invites us to contemplate not just national identity but humanity’s place in the broader universe.

Mayon After Dark

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 18 x 24 inches

Year: 2025

Description:
Bearer of Burden is a symbolic exploration of the celestial weight carried by beings of light. The Filipinized cherub, suspended in mid-flight against the backdrop of an expansive cosmos, cradles a radiant orb adorned with ancient symbols, representing universal knowledge, fate, and divine responsibility. Draped in a vibrant crimson cloth, the figure’s poised expression balances serenity with determination, embodying the quiet strength required to carry cosmic truths.

Bearer of Burden

Fluffy Celestial Cloud

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 24 x 36 inches
Year: 2023

Description

In a centrist solar system, where Earth is the center, and the Philippines is the capital of the world, the clouds would be fluffier because we know how to have fun. Never mind the black hole threatening to devour us all, as long as we can enjoy it for now.

Modern subjects rendered in the traditional Flemish method create a playful tension between technique and narrative. This painting reframes Filipino identity as both cosmic and intimate, rooted in history yet unafraid to soar among the stars. It invites us to look up, laugh a little, and imagine a universe that speaks our language.

Heavenly Body

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 12 x 16 inches
Year: 2025

Description

A demonstration of both the literal and figurative heavenly body, where the human form is rendered with sensual reverence, set against a cosmic backdrop teeming with stars and galaxies. The presence of a single angelic wing introduces a tension between the corporeal and the divine, suggesting themes of transcendence, vulnerability, and the sacredness of embodiment. This intimate yet expansive composition invites viewers to explore the intersection of spirituality, sexuality, and the infinite.

The Watcher of Quiet Skies

Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 11 x 8 inch

Year: 2025

Description:
The Watcher of Quiet Skies says that cherubim exist, and they are Filipino. They are there to deliver us from whatever hell we are in, showing us the light and carrying us to the eternal heavens. But to get there, we must first ask and want to be found.

Angel Totoy

Medium: Oil on painting paper

Dimension: 8 x 11

Year: 2023

Description:

Angel Totoy is an attempt to Filipinize the classical cherub—a guardian figure reimagined with a distinctly Filipino spirit. Poised in a moment of soft reflection, he reminds us that Filipinos, too, make gentle protectors and endearing messengers of light. Rendered in the traditional Flemish method, the painting blends old-world technique with cultural redefinition

Angel Sevy

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 18 x 24 inches

Year: 2025

Description:

Angel Sevy, the great-grandchild of the late National Museum Chairman Hilarion Henares, poses as one of the references or models for the larger artwork, Manila Cathedral After Dark. He was asked to gaze directly at us while gently blowing a kiss to convey love, peace, and quiet reverence. This artwork is rendered in layers of glazes to create depth in its color.

The Female Gaze (Framed)

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 24 x 36 inch
Year: 2023

For all to See

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 11 x 8 inch
Year: 2023

Sleeping Cupid (after Léon Jean Bazile Perrault)

Medium: Oil on painting paper
Dimension: 11 x 8 inch
Year: 2025

Grumpy Girl (Framed)

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 11 x 16 inch, 15.5 x 21 inch (Framed)
Year: 2023

Che Colorized (Framed)

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 9.5 x 13.5 inch, 14 x 18 inch (framed)
Year: 2023

Based on a public domain image of Che Guevara. The photo was first used in 1961, and according to the Copyright Act of Cuba, it is in the public domain by Decree Law no. 156, September 28, 1994, to amend part of Law no. 14 December 28, 1977, Copyright Act (Article 47) which states that the pictures fall into the public domain 25 years after its first use.
Translation: It's fine to use this particular photo of Che Guevara as a reference in an artwork, as it's already in the public domain and can be used by anyone.

As Above, So Below

Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 24 x 36 inches
Year: 2023

Description

Drawing inspiration from Hermetic philosophy, "As Above, So Below" presents a mountain landscape where the earthly and cosmic realms mirror each other in perfect symmetry. The composition divides between a star-filled sky displaying planets and distant worlds and their reflection in tranquil waters below. The central mountain serves as both a terrestrial monument and a cosmic axis, suggesting that the patterns of the universe are reflected in the natural world around us.