Art Trek 14 Marks End of Era, New Beginning for PH Arts Festival in Singapore

Demi Padua’s solo collection masters the Trompe L’oeil style. Each piece is inspired by pop culture and everyday life, combined the eyes, noses, lips, and features of different women from all walks of life.

SINGAPORE, 20 December 2022 – After a two-year hiatus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, in collaboration with One East Asia Gallery, successfully held the opening of the fourteenth edition of Art Trek at the Philippine Embassy in 20 Nassim Road on 03 December 2022, featuring Filipino artist, Demi Padua, in his first debut solo exhibition outside the Philippines entitled “Transfigured.” 

Demi Padua’s solo collection presented eight portraits using the Trompe L'oeil style. Each piece, inspired by pop culture and everyday life, combined the eyes, noses, lips, and features of different women from all walks of life. According to Demi, he is inspired by how humans can reinvent themselves. “It’s a reminder that a new life is always possible,” he says. “They are all survivors in one area of their lives – and they are symbolic of rebirth and strength of the human spirit. I want to show that when you combine beautiful things, you can create a new being. This has the power to overcome even the most broken pasts.” 

The exhibit’s theme mirrors the evolution of Art Trek. Initially conceptualized as a celebration of visual arts, the fourteenth edition of Art Trek marked the inclusion of other forms of art like music and literature. 

In his welcome remarks, Philippine Chargé d’Affaires in Singapore Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez said, “We would like to see Art Trek transform itself into what we would like to call a “Philippine Art Festival” here in Singapore”. 

For a glimpse of this vision, the Philippine Embassy invited two award-winning Singapore-based Filipino writers, Ms. Migs Bravo Dutt and Ms. Claire Betita de Guzman, for a poetry reading; and Mr. Roy “Baroy” Bargamento to serenade the guests. Also featured were the Philippine Embassy personnel’s art pieces which started as a creative outlet while bonding with colleagues. 

Art Trek 14 goes down in history as the last official activity of the Philippine Embassy in Nassim Road before the building’s demolition. The Embassy will relocate to a temporary office at TripleOne Somerset while the Chancery is undergoing redevelopment. 

As of writing, all portraits of Demi have already been sold. END 

Art 14 featured artist, Demi Padua (4th from left), poses with PH Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez (3rd from right) and his wife Alicia Kalaw-Fernandez (4th from right), Third Secretary and Vice Consul Joy Anne B. Lai (3rd from right), and One East Asia Gallery’s Daniel Komala (2nd from right) and Veronica Howe (rightmost). (Singapore PE photo)

Ms. Lydia Delegente and Ms. Celesty Cornejo were among the Embassy personnel whose paintings were displayed in the background. (Singapore PE photo) 

Award-winning Singapore-based Filipino writers, Ms. Migs Bravo Dutt and Ms. Claire Betita de Guzman, held a poetry reading session based on Demi Padua's Transfigured. (Singapore PE photo)

Baroy serenaded the guests during the brief program. (Singapore PE photo) 

For more information, visit https://www.singaporepe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg, https://www.facebook.com/PHinSingapore, or https://www.instagram.com/phinsingapore/.