trek valdizno

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Trek valdizno’s ‘plethora’ at galleria duemilla.

Galeria Duemilla presents a solo show by Trek Valdizno, featuring his works of exceptional figurations achieved using unconventional tools.

Contemporary artist Trek Valdizno, known for his unconventional and fastidious painting techniques, will be having an exhibition at Galleria Duemilla on October 12 to 31. Showcasing his creativity and passion in discovering new painting techniques, Valdizno shows the two-dimensional aspects of his works by presenting a suite of biomorphic paintings. In his exhibition entitled “Plethora,” Valdizno presents an overabundance or excess of painterly gestures in variations and motions like marble, crochet, conjoin, collide, coil, coagulate, and skid. 

Valdizno takes as inspiration different points of interest like the cosmos and beyond, Indian philosophy, veracity of thoughts, and magic. Evident in the featured works is his spontaneity in painting, use of phallic-inspired figures, and bright colours like red, yellow, and light green blended in darker hues, thus adding solidity, drama, and sombreness to the fluid-like paintings. The varying textures of the paintings are achieved using unconventional painting tools like a wooden stick. Valdizno succeeded in reimagining the complex topics and characters in literature and philosophy like Oberon, iconoclast, raconteur, and many more to a lot more complex form that are still recognisable because of the emotions and characteristics of each painting. 

Trek Valdizno is a Painting graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts (UPCFA) and a 1994 Juror's Choice Awardee at the Philip Morris Art Awards.

Galleria Duemilla, 210 Loring Street, Pasay City, +632.831.9990

Art / Objects

Shooting stars: a solo exhibition by trek valdizno.

Exhibition Notes Johanna Labitoria Editing by Gabrielle de la Cruz Images Galeria Duemila and Trek Valdizno

Trek Valdizno’s Shooting Stars is an exploration of the inner and outer worlds, a representation of his endless inspiration for the wonder of celestial bodies. The fabric of spirituality seeps through as his works call to mind his fascination with the unknown.

The affinity with shooting stars or meteors/meteorites may be attributed to his own inward journey. At the outset, the artist recognizes that there is something greater than oneself that is divine or cosmic in nature. It is a connection forged within himself and his outer world.

The artist’s fascination with cosmology and geology led him to collect tektites, particularly those from the Czech Republic called moldavites. Tektites are small, rock-like objects of Earthen material that have been melted by meteorite impact and ended up on Earth. Their name comes from the Greek word ‘ tektos ‘, meaning ‘molten’. A couple of years ago, the artist made an installation utilizing a tektite and a curved metal bar against an all-black wooden panel. This is his first foray into utilizing the image of the elusive shooting stars, allowing him to simulate the image of a meteorite and investigate its physical dimensions. Now, he has incorporated this concept in the form of painting.

Left : Interstellar , 2023, acrylic on canvas, 152.40 x 152.40 cm/60.05 x 60.05 in. Right: Intergalactic Bliss , 2023, acrylic on canvas, 152.40 x 152.40 cm/60.05 x 60.05 in. The former “captivates the viewer in a pastel orange hue”, while the latter is “a symmetrical psychedelic form in a mix of overlapping colors.”

For the artist, the process of painting is a spiritual catalyst. It is a unique, guided practice that allows him to be in a state of rising above his earthly self. He regards having to paint one element over and over again as a form of meditation. After completing the background, he allows his senses and emotions to continue the artwork. He blends colors and techniques through intuition, with his painting gestures following the behavioral pattern of a shooting star.

From a certain angle, the paintings look like an interweb of strings, pulling and connecting each other. Each work formulates a certain sense of bond. At their most obvious state, the paintings are representations of heavenly bodies. The circular shapes are created to mimic the experience of looking into a dimension. These form a depth through positive and negative spaces. Each resulting piece, although flat, conveys a three-dimensional, boundless form moving toward infinity.

Left: Beacon of Hope , 2023, acrylic on canvas, 152.40 x 152.40 cm/60.05 x 60.05 in. Right: Celestial Fireworks , 2023, acrylic on canvas, 122.00 x 122.00 cm/48.07 x 48.07 in. “Beacon of Hope and Celestial Fireworks both resemble a meteor shower in all its glory.”

Trek’s process may be referred to as automatic painting in which inspiration is tapped from a tranced state. Automatism refers to digging deep into the unconscious mind and movement without conscious pondering. Later, automatism played some part in abstract expressionism. In a sense, this process can be read as creating harmonious art where the mind and the body agree on a single thought. Contrary to the random gestures, the resulting works are purposeful and directed. Flashes of insight and vision from a higher being have made their way to the artist’s canvas, making the works reflective of the artist’s illuminated inner world.

The paintings are doused in flat and shimmering acrylics portraying the different colors of the stars when subjected to different conditions in their realm. The pervading images are spirals, full, and semi-circles. In cosmological underpinnings, circles are a perfect shape that represents totality and wholeness.

Left: Star of Bethlehem , 2023, acrylic on canvas, 152.40 x 152.40 cm/60.05 x 60.05 in. Right: Supernova , 2023 acrylic on canvas, 122.00 x 122.00 cm/48.07 x 48.07 in. “Star of Bethlehem and Supernova envelopes the work with cascading circular motions in extended gestures.”

The realization that we are one with the universe is in itself a transformation. It allows us to see our own version of the sacred. The spiritual weave in the works of Trek reminds us that we are uniquely formed yet thoroughly guided. We are grounded in ourselves yet remain integral to our outer world. Just as Indian Philosopher Osho has phrased it, the whole universe is our being, and stars in different colors just give a beautiful variety to existence. •

Shooting Stars was curated by Sandra Palomar-Quan. The exhibit opened last October 7 and will run until November 18 at Galleria Duemila , Pasay City, Metro Manila.

galleriaduemila.com

• October 19, 2023
• #Art , #Design , #Painting , #PR Release , #Press Release

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Date: 14 December 2008 4:00 pm

Exhibition runs till: 9 January 2009 Friday

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Trek Valdizno

Filipino | 1968

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Trek Valdizno

The artistic practice of Trek Valdizno is prolific and is overarched by conceptual processes. Making work intuitively, and being directed by impulses toward the physicality of experimentation has never been lost to him. Aesthetically, his works become reduced to conclusive abstractions that curb both traditional craftiness and gestural maladroitness. The conditions, surrounding them, however, involve a kindred toward materiality and a gesture that brings together calculation and chance. With a highly process-oriented practice, Valdizno builds up and breaks down issues of dimensionality and the painted surface. With non-conventional painting materials and surfaces, he portrays an appreciation of space, color and natural form.

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St. Philaret of Moscow: Daily Prayer and Prayer of the Prisoner

St. Philaret of Moscow

St. Philaret left a voluminous inheritance of what can be truly called patristic works. He also composed prayers, 1 one of which has become a part of many people’s morning prayers . It is a prayer not for what we want, but for what God wills—that He would always be before us, working in us His Holy will. 2

Morning Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

O Lord, I do not know what to ask of Thee. Thou alone knowest what I need. Thou lovest me more than I know how to love myself. O Father, grant Thy servant what I myself do not know how to ask. I do not dare to ask a cross of Thee, nor consolation; I only stand before Thee with my heart open; Thou seest the needs that I myself do not know. Look, and work in me according to Thy mercy; smite and heal me, cast me down and raise me up! I am reverent and silent before Thy holy will and ways that are unfathomable to me. I offer myself as a sacrifice to Thee; teach me to pray. Do Thou Thyself pray in me. Amen.

Another prayer attributed to the illustrious hierarch was written for prisoners , who although they have been incarcerated for crimes committed, especially need help from the Lord to bear the difficulty of their penitentiary life. But aren’t we are all seemingly prisoners of circumstances that surround us—family troubles, job loss or difficulty, rocky relationships, poverty, and any other thing that makes us feel like there is no way out? But we can pray to God with these words, that He would give us comfort and the strength to endure everything for the sake of cleansing our own sins, which have most likely brought us to these situations.

Prayer of the Prisoner

O my Lord God and Savior, blessed be Thy holy name!

Thanksgiving and praise be to Thee O Lord, for all the blessings I have received from Thee in this life. Sorrow and sickness have overtaken me, and I call upon Thy name. Reproach has fallen upon me. Thou hast laid me in the pit of hades, in the darkness and house of the dead. I sorrow for this, and I understand that I have this sorrow because I have sinned before Thee, and for my sins have these afflictions come upon me. For Thy righteous ones were not downcast, and even in prisons called out to Thee, and rejoiced in sufferings.

For if Thous shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For there is no man that hath not sinned. But Thou, O Lord, dost bear the sins of the world and cleansest through repentance. I believe, for thou hast not turned even me, a sinner, away from Thy Face. Thy Only Begotten Son didst pour out His blood for the whole world. I believe that He can cleanse even me from my sins, and desires this.

Therefore with David I say: I will confess mine iniquities before the Lord against myself. And Thou forgavest the ungodliness of my heart. I fear the judge and judgment of man, but even more do I fear Thy irrevocable judgment and eternal condemnation. For unrighteousness has risen up against me; I make bold to pray to Thee with David’s words: Hearken O Lord unto my righteousness, and hear my judgment, and deliver me by Thy righteousness.

For although I have committed unrighteousness, heal my unrighteousness by Thy mercy. Do not allow my heart to incline to deceitful words, to hiding the truth, and false justification. Help me to understand and to hate my unrighteousness, to love righteousness, and in truth surround my soul with comfort. Ease the burden of my afflictions. Endure also me, the condemned, that I may endure with patience for the sake of cleansing my sins and for the sake of Thy merciful, righteous judgment.

For if shame has covered me before certain people, may I endure it with humility; may I receive They mercy, O Lord, and may I not be put to shame before the face of the world at Thy Dread [Last] Judgment.

I come to Thee woeful and sorrowful; deprive me not of Thy spiritual consolation. I come to Thee darkened; show me the light of hope for salvation. I fall down before Thee in exhaustion; raise me up and confirm me in Thy grace.

And above all grant me the desire and help me, O Lord, in everything to do Thy will; that in peace I may glorify Thy holy name, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1   The translations of these prayers given in this post are our own (not official).

2   When searching in Google for the “Prayer of St. Philaret of Moscow”, one seems always to find not this prayer, but the prayer of the Optina Elders: “O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrasssing others. Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray. And, Yourself, pray in me. Amen.” These prayers are very similar.

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