Escapes in Flux at Book Latté Alternative Art Space opened September 20 and will run until October 17, 2024. 

It was a special yet casual and informal September evening at the Book Latté Alternative Art Space—the opening of “Escapes in Flux,” an exhibition showing the paintings of three physicians: Carlo Ben Losande, Anna Marie Velasco, and Eva Catedral.

The exhibit is the first of a series by the members of the collective simply named “After Clinic Group,” alluding to the art making of medical professionals after hospital and clinic duties.

Curated by cultural worker and a respected academic Liby Limoso, Escapes in Flux articulates the notion that the act of escaping is anything but static; it is a dynamic and transformative experience. The term “flux” suggests movement, uncertainty, and fluidity, infusing the concept of “escape” with a contemporary edge.

The informal ambiance and the randomness of the exhibit program clearly align with “flux,” which manifested thereafter in the discussion with an interlude of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma performed by Ilonggo opera singer Ron Trompeta and the shared laughter of friends, colleagues, and new acquaintances of the artists that night.

The exhibition reminded me of short notes from Art as Therapy by renonwed philosopher Alain de Botton and art historian John Armstrong, who explored art’s profound role in addressing our psychological needs. Beyond mere aesthetic appreciation, they argue that art serves as a vital tool for confronting our imperfections and alleviating anxiety, highlighting the essential purpose of art in our lives. 

The healing power of art helped me situate the intent of Escapes in Flux, especially that the artists are healers—physicians.

The collection reflects our sensitivities, and they show the fluidity of our creativity—not heedful of the standards of fine art but rather a product of our hands naturally leading the brushstrokes on the surface, translating our vision through colors and hues to convey a message and share meaning, said Dr. Eva Catedral.

An ophthalmologist, Catedral adds that the pieces are contemplative and they attempt to impart the distinct voices of the doctors as health workers and as human beings.

See Escapes in Flux opening night in photos here

This is not the first time for the three physicians to create paintings. They started a hobby of drawing and painting at a young age, experimenting on watercolor and other mediums, which they cultivated through years of practice, albeit occasionally, because of the rigorous demands of medical school and later actual medical practice. In the recent past, however, they have found themselves reconnected with art, their hands mixing paints and stroking brushes on macroscale canvasses to fill up large walls for museum exhibitions.

Yet art engagements like Escapes in Flux resonate with their works having subjects generated from inner emotions and shaped by personal experiences. Thus, the collection in Escapes in Flux effuses a cordial appeal to the eyes, with the mediums echoing the desire of the artists for a warm connection with a viewer.

A collection of oil pastel on paper and on canvas board by Dr. Anna Marie Velasco. 

This is epitomized by the works of Dr. Anna Marie Velasco, a nine-piece collection of oil pastels on paper and canvas board ranging from 10 x 14 inches to 13 x 16 inches, with subjects captured by memory like “Daybreak,”  “Days from Home”,” Splash of Morning,”  and “Change of Season.” 

The work of Dr. Velasco cogitates the concept of Escapes in Flux, which the curator defines as “mirroring the person’s creative process.” This idea is effectively expressed through Dr. Velasco’s use of the impasto technique, which combines the visually calming effects of Impressionist art with the dynamic gestural force of the medium.

Moreover, Escapes in Flux intends to demonstrate the shifting movement of life—a natural process of an ongoing journey with art acting as an interferer to allow the artist to break free from constraints caused by the rigidity of the medical vocation.

Dr. Carlo Ben Losande expounded on this concept in his piece, “Shifting Horizons” (oil on canvas, 24 x 35 inches, 2019), which he described as a deeply personal exploration of movement and stillness.

I created this piece using only my fingers, expressed Losande, allowing me to form a tactile bond with the canvas, translating my emotions directly into the medium. The subject of his art is the group of islets known as Siete Pecados (Isles of the Seven Sins), in between the islands of Panay and Guimaras, a scene that Losande captured during one of his travels.

I, however, chose not to represent the islets with photographic accuracy, he emphasized; instead, I embraced the soft, pastel hues of a sunset—not as it appears, but as I felt it during that moment. As Losande moved across the water in a boat, the world around seemed for him in constant flux, yet observingly, the presence of Siete Picados remained unmoved and timeless.

For Losande, the contrast—of being in motion while some things remained constant—is at the heart of Shifting Horizons, with the sunset showing fleeting beauty, reflecting the emotions of traveling from one place to another. 

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Shifting Horizons is a meditative piece, expressing the impulse to escape from reality at the first instance, yet the stimulus is overrided by realizations that there are elements that anchor life on the ground to provide stability while retaining pliability on moments of flux and motion.

The work highlights the importance of episodical pauses in life to give time for the mind to clear out of distractions or barriers over acquired space and time and to enable a resetting or reclaiming of such, knowing that life doesn’t fully settle down but is a continuing process. 

These themes were further elucidated by Dr. Eva Catedral’s “Vantage Point” (oil on canvas, 16 x 20 inches, 2024), which pondered upon urbanization’s benevolence amidst anxieties of vanishing greeneries and open spaces. By painting the urbanscape from her window, she examined how modern development is balanced with nature. Conversing on the self for the painting, she asks, How far should we go in cutting down greenery? Where is the zoning that protects our environment?

Vantage Point reflects on the natural beauty of our surroundings and the importance of preserving the trees that cool our atmosphere and enhance our quality of life. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my blessings and a responsibility to help others who may not share the same fortune, said Catedral, and I’m inspired by the idea that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

The painting of Dr. Catedral serves as a call to action for sustainable growth and to recognize the interconnectedness of human life and other living things. 

Escapes in Flux is not about fleeing from life’s realities; instead, it emphasizes our natural inclination to step back, divert our energy, and seek rejuvenation. It offers a necessary breathing space to process experiences gathered from our various vocations, allowing us to let go of vulnerabilities.