Geraldine JAVIER

Geraldine JAVIER captures a complex context of social, political, and historical circumstances which Philippines society was faced for decades, then reinterprets through her distinct perspective. Unlike her social-realist predecessors, Geraldine has variegated and extensive interests, who engaged in pursuing the personal and the idiosyncratic form of artistic expression. Geraldine’s works are full of tension and provocation, which are accumulation of cool, calculated sophistication with raw urban grit that influenced by international media and local pop culture. Geraldine constantly blends various types of material and media for her oeuvres, such as oil painting incorporated into installation art or combine multi-media object into canvas. Images of death, misery, dysfunctional relationships, and emotional violence are frequent subject matters that constantly depicted in Geraldine’s works, which are derived from her complex, viscous thoughts; and intimations, silent tensions and implosions of her art world. 

The mise-en-scène that Geraldine depicts on her work always allude an image of a sacred altarpiece, which is derived from her intimate involvement with a religious iconography. “I had a primary and secondary Catholic education. The nuns taught us of the sacrifices of Jesus and the other martyrs and from this I can deduce that the Catholic religion‘s foundation was built on blood and guilt as a consequence. The same guilt that the church exploits as it continues to exert an almost authoritarian influence on Philippine society and our government to the point of paralysis in terms of decision and policy-making“- (Geraldine Javier, 2011). Philippines is one of the most staunchly Catholic faith country, where Catholic Church continued to dominate large parts of the society. Along with many other Filipino artist, Geraldine rejecting religious allusions and links that based on rebellion against the Catholicism, but her work is still connected with symbolic allegories and religious context. Furthermore, her works talk about universal and collective values such as beliefs and hopes of the public, which are on the same line as faith.  

Geraldine JAVIER was born in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines in 1970. She received her BS in Nursing in 1991 and BFA in Painting in 1997 at University of the Philippines. She has held solo exhibitions at Silverlens Galleries (Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, 2023; 2013), Mizuma Gallery (Singapore, 2022), ARARIO GALLERY SHANGHAI (Shanghai, China, 2018), PSP (Project Space Philippines) (Lucban, Quezon, Metro Manila, Philippines, 2017), Finale Art File (Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, 2015), ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea, 2013; 2011), ARNDT Gallery (Berlin, Germany, 2013), and Equator Projects Gallery at Gillman Barracks (Singapore, 2012), and more. In addition, she has participated group exhibitions including the 35th Bienal de São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil, 2023), ARARIO GALLERY CHEONAN (Cheonan, Korea, 2020; 2010), the 13th Havana Biennial (Havana, Cuba, 2019), ARARIO GALLERY SHANGHAI (Shanghai, China, 2017; 2016), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia, 2017), Ormond Collective (Melbourne, Australia, 2012), the 4th Prague Biennale, (Prague, Czech Republic, 2009), and more. Geraldine JAVIER was nominated as one of the “13 Artists Award” by the Cultural Centre of the Philippines in 2003. Her works are a part of prestigious collections such as National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore Art Museum, and ARARIO MUSEUM.