Perspectives, A Photo Exhibit, Layout and Design by Mark Villanueva

United by their common passion for the photographic art, Alex Constantino, Joey Gatmaitan, and Chris Linag, showcased their works in 'Perspectives', a photo exhibit at Likha Diwa Cafe, Krus na Ligas, Quezon City from December 2009 to January 2010. Their works are manifestations of  how they see things around them, their worldview, their thesis, their perception, their sentiment.

In this particular exhibit, Mark Villanueva helped out with the exhibit's layout and design.

Upon exhibit's ingress

Mark hanging the photos on the wall

Mark played violin at the exhibit's launch

Mark jams with artists Eghai Rojas, Govinda Jean of Kadangyan, and Jean Paul Zialcita

Past Art Exhibitions

Here are some exhibit posters and documented photos of Mark Villanueva's art exhibitions in the past.

Unang Hayag Sining Emerging Artists 2009 exhibit poster

Mark's painting for this exhibit, 'Struggle and Living', oil on canvas, 30 in. x 30 in.

Mark Villanueva with his fellow artists in Unang Hayag Sining exhibit

DreamTime group exhibit poster, 2010
The Thesis Gallery

2nd Dream Time art exhibition at the Intellectual Property Office, Makati, 2010

Mark Villanueva performing at his own exhibit, Dream Time, at the Thesis Gallery
(The portrait of his cousin, actor Cris Villanueva, which he painted, was showcased in this exhibit together with his self portrait and that of his father's)

Old Artworks

The following are part of a collection of exhibited artworks by Mark Villanueva from year 2003 up till 2009.

'1870 Kapis', mixed media, 34 in x 44 in., 2003

'Childrenstation', coloured pencil, 36 in. x 36 in., 2007
PLDT finalist-FEU Top3, DPC Cover

Daydreamer, self portrait, coloured pencil, 24 in. x 34 in., 2008

'The Fiddler', self portrait, oil on canvas, 3 ft. x 4 ft., 2009

'Bar Line', oil on canvas, 2 ft x 3 ft., 2009

'One Note', oil on canvas, 18 in. x 24 in., 2009

'Tuning Fork', oil on canvas, 1 ft x 1 ft., 2009
Showcased at the Plug and Play Group Exhibit,
My Little Art Place

'I Saw Everything', oil on canvas, 12 in.x 12 in., 2009
Showcased at the Magnum Asupre Group Exhibit
BlueWings Gallery

'Tree of Life', oil on canvas, 3 ft x 4 ft., 2009
Showcased at the Garden of Society Group Exhibit,
Lunduyan Art Gallery

'Struggle and Living', oil on canvas, 30 in x 30 in., 2009
Showcased at the Unang Hayag Sining Emerging Young Artist 2009,
Gallerie Anna

The Art of Doing Abstract

This one is a commissioned painting of Mark Villanueva for Mr. and Mrs. Dizon.

Abstract art, also known as nonfigurative art,is in its visual form in which the composition takes liberty in its color and form and it is depicted in ways where it is apart from reality and its accurate representation.

Lyrical abstraction, as an art movement, was born out of desire to create a direct physical and sensory experience of painting through their monumentality and emphasis on color--forcing the viewer to "read" paintings literally as things.

To some writers, the term 'lyrical abstraction' implies particularly 'a lush and sumptuous use of color' as seen here in Mark's commissioned painting. This painting has a low key, relaxed composition, and there's emphasis on the spontaneity of colors.

Mark Villanueva, Self Portrait

"There is no top. There are always further heights to reach."

-Jascha Heifetz

Mark Villanueva believes in reaching for what famous violinist Heifetz refer to as "further heights" and takes one step at a time in improving his craft for painting and  his gift of playing the violin.

(Mark while working on his self-portrait)

(Mark in his former art space)

In his thesis painting no.1, Mark unveils himself on stage in his self portrait, to the viewers and performs for them with such intense emotions, as if playing side by side with Beethoven in his Moonlight Adagio or with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee.

With the Classical masters Rembrandt and Caravaggio in mind, Mark gives us a glimpse of his influences with his strokes in his canvas and injects his own style in his modern approach to portraiture. In his self-portrait, Mark opens up the viewers’ senses, by feeding them with varied sounds, textures, strong colors, and emotions welling up from his art. Here we can see Mark’s movements and hear his bow make sharp harmonics hitting the sweet spot in his violin as he tears our insides apart, and as if telling stories of his past, lets us experience his present, and invites us to embark on a journey to an indefinite future.

(Self-portrait in B&W)

As if he just came out of a dream sequence with the red curtains on and nimbus clouds on his back, Mark throws us notes, his darkest, deepest secrets, and remains serene and focused despite the distant gale, as shown in the flying music sheets coming out of nowhere in his composition. His prowess in violin and his passion for painting expose to us naturally, with Mark’s sensible playing, and his determination to make an impact to the crowd as shown in his facial expression, his crumpled clothes and bare feet in his portrait. Still he keeps us intimidated a little and mystified at the same time as we want to divulge more of the mysteries there is to this man, his music, his art, and his thoughts. One thing certain for now is that we know he has left us with a distinct mark, a question, or perhaps a wild thought or two we might carry on in an unknown state and time.  And that he also captured the essence there is to the art of portraiture as we have explored and experienced the experiences and emotions of the subject and the artist himself.

(Lorna Zaragosa)

'My Mark in This World', oil on canvas, 4 ft. x 6 ft., 2010