29 September 2014 – For the second straight year, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur showcased the country’s mastery of the visual arts as noted artist Clarence Eduarte joins the 2014 of Art Expo Malaysia (AEM), which opened with a VIP Preview Night on September 24 at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur.
“It is our honor to bring once again one of the shining stars in the Philippine arts scene to the Art Expo Malaysia. Mr. Eduarte is a fine example of what Filipino art is known for– bold, deeply expressive, always experimenting, and authentic,” Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya said.
Mr. Eduarte described his work in the following terms: “Painting is the best way to express God’s given creativity in me. The creative process of my work fuels energy, passion and excitement regardless of any particular subject. My working method is very physical and spontaneous. I try to push the medium to its limit, and I love the element of surprise of what the painting can produce.”
This is the second year for the Philippine Embassy to participate in the AEM. Others in the AEM Embassy Row were Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Mongolia, and Romania. Filipino-born Belgian artist Gina Frias represented Belgium in the Embassy Row.
Mr. Eduarte is a winner of several Philippine art contests, including the Metrobank Foundation’s Metrobank Art and Design Excellence and the Government Service Investment System’s Painting Competitions.
His works are exhibited in well-known institutions such as in Philippine Daily Inquirer, Malayan Bank, JB Music Corporation, Arco Drilling Corporation, San Jose Builders, hotels like Raffles Hotel Makati, Marco Polo Hotel Ortigas, and Crimson Hotel Alabang, and banks such as Metrobank, Real Bank in the Philippines, as well as in China and Singapore.
On its eighth year, the AEM is the longest-running art fair in the region, bringing in close to 400 artists from 78 exhibitors/galleries from 31 countries. Some 2,000 pieces of artworks--including paintings, sculptures, installation, digital art and photography--are exhibited.
The event’s Royal Patrons were Crown Prince Raja Muda Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra and Crown Princess Raja Puan Muda Tuanku Hajjah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil of Perlis.
This year’s AEM will run until September 28. END