Johanna Helmuth, The Tough, 2020, oil on canvas, 198 x 244 cm
One Thing After Another is a solo exhibition by Filipino artist Johanna Helmuth.
In Helmuth’s characteristic pictorial approach to exploring human behaviour, tendencies and social relationships, she composes a set of canvases partly as an introspection of personal challenges from her past year. Through the imagery emerging from the works, she suggests the cultivation of an inner strength that enables one to clear and forge new paths; to stand up for one’s self and rise above the seemingly inevitable. Though largely emphasising self-empowerment, the scenes portrayed also recognise the value of social support, of letting people in and allowing them to possibly offer a guiding light amid states of confusion. A tone of positivity and encouragement resonates with the exhibition title One Thing After Another, which conjures a situation when things fall into their right places and at their right moments.
A graduate of Advertising from the Technological University of the Philippines, Helmuth paints subjects that reflect on human behaviour, social values and standards, in muted and earth tones and highly textured surfaces vigorously applied using the palette knife. Some of her works depict compositions that lend themselves to narratives, like scenes or excerpts from stories. In 2018, she received the Fernando Zobel Prize for the Visual Arts, Ateneo Art Awards, one of the top awards in the Philippines for young artists.
Venue: Yavuz Gallery, Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road #02-23, Singapore 108937, tel: +65 6734 3262
Opening Hours: 11am to 7pm (Tue to Sat); 1pm to 5pm (Sun). Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
When: 15 Feb - 9 Mar 2020,
By: Ames Yavuz
