JEF CABLOG
When I began my art career, it was only natural for me to paint the traditional culture of the Cordillera, the mountainous region in Northern Philippines where my hometown, Barlig, Mountain Province, is located.
Nature has always been a dominant aspect of my paintings because it is my greatest source of inspiration. I spent most of my childhood in Barlig’s lush forests, playing, climbing its moss-covered trees, and collecting wild berries with other village children. I also enjoyed spending hours swimming and fishing in its creeks, streams, and rivers. These cherished experiences, along with the deep bond I developed with nature, have always given me happiness, contentment, and peace of mind. I hope these emotions are reflected in my paintings and inspire those who view them.
The cultural aspect of my work is an expression of my identity. Through my paintings, I hope to foster understanding and appreciation of my culture. At the same time, I believe that even without an in-depth knowledge of Cordilleran traditions, people can still connect with my work through the universal idea that we should look to our ancestors and be reminded of how they coexisted harmoniously with nature.
For this reason, most of my artworks emphasize the importance of the coexistence of humanity and nature, as well as the preservation of our traditional culture.
Initially, I mainly used paintbrushes, but in 2009 I began experimenting with palette knives only. Not only was it more convenient to switch from one color to another, but it was also easier to clean—simply by wiping the paint off the knife without using any solvents, avoiding the potential side effects of long-term solvent use. In addition to achieving the texture and thickness I wanted, I also gained speed.
In August 2015, I was invited to an artist residency on Île de Groix, Brittany, France. My wife and I stayed on the island for more than two months. It was in France where I first discovered and acquired a palette knife with grooves or teeth. I realized that I could achieve a variety of textures depending on the pattern and spacing of the grooves on the knife.
When we left the island, we continued our travels for another 20 days, visiting Geneva, Milan, Florence, Rome, Barcelona, and Paris. Being immersed in European culture, having the opportunity to marvel at European art—from the paintings and sculptures of renowned masters to historic structures and architecture—and experiencing the colors of autumn for the first time provided me with immense inspiration and contributed greatly to my growth as an artist. When I returned from that journey, I felt transformed.
More broadly, my travels to different countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and others, and my exposure to diverse cultures over the years opened me up to a wider range of artistic subjects. My style evolved, and my color palette became richer and more expansive.
Following my residency in France, I stepped outside my comfort zone and began experimenting with mixed media by reusing plastic waste combined with scrap metal, glass, and found objects. The resulting body of work was launched in my fourth solo exhibition in Manila, Philippines, in 2017, entitled “Colors of Excess”.
I currently have a special interest in European sculptures, particularly relief sculptures that I photographed during my travels. These have become the primary subjects of my recent paintings. I consider this body of work to be an account of my experience of encountering these relics from our distant past, as well as my own contemporary interpretation of preserving the impressions they left on me.
I also see this as part of my artistic evolution and the next phase of my career. These relief sculptures create the impression of traveling back in time, as many of the structures appear remarkably well preserved and seemingly untouched by modernization. During my travels in Europe, I observed a harmonious coexistence between the old and the new, as well as between man-made structures and nature. This balance closely parallels what I strive to portray in my art.
Born 1981 in Barlig, Mt. Province, Philippines
EDUCATION
1998-2000 Bachelor of Fine Arts University of the Philippines-Baguio
Distinctions
Finalist in the Richeson75 International Competition (Small Works) , 2013
Finalist in the Metrobank Arts & Design Excellence (MADE) Competition, 2010
Semifinalist in the Metrobank Arts & Design Excellence (MADE) Competition, 2000
Semifinalist in the Metrobank Arts & Design Excellence (MADE) Competition, 1999
ARTIST RESIDENCY
August-October 2015 Ile de Groix, Bretagne, France thru Festival International du Film Insulaire (FIFIG)
ARTISTIC PILGRIMAGE AND NATURE RELATED TRAVELS:
October-November 2015: Geneva (Switzerland) | Florence, Milan, Rome (Italy) | Barcelona (Spain) | Paris (France)
May 2016: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Himeji (Japan)
December 2016: Kaohsiung, Taipei (Taiwan)
November-December 2018: Seoul, Sokcho, Busan (South Korea) | Fukuoka, Yakushima, Kagoshima, Tokyo (Japan)
October-November 2019 : Seoul, Sokcho, Geongju, Busan (South Korea) | Osaka, Kyoto, Tsumago, Magome, Wakayama, Takayama,
Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Nagano, Tokyo (Japan)
October-November 2022: Seoul, Sokcho, Daedunsan, Gyeryeongsan,Daejeon, Songnisan, Busan, Jeju (South Korea)
August-November 2024: Paris, Nancy (France) | Bern, Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lucern, Zurich, Stein Am Rhein (Switzerland)
Domodossola (Italy) | Vaduz (Liechtenstein) | Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, Hallstatt (Austria) | Bratislava (Slovakia)
Budapest (Hungary) | Prague, Kutna Hora, Morina, Hruba Skala, Cesky Krumlov (Czech Republic) | Dresden, Rathen, Nuremberg,
Frankfurt, Berchtesgaden (Germany) | Luxembourg | Dinant (Belgium)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 RELIC | SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Philippines
2018 CONFLUENCE | Alliance Francaise de Manille, Bel-Air II, Makati City, Philippines
2017 COLORS OF EXCESS | SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Philippines
2015 RACINES (ROOTS) | Fort du Gripp, Ile de Groix, Bretagne, France
2015 COEXISTENCE | Art Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2012 BIRTHMARKED | Art Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Luzon Art Fair | Bulwagan ng Kanlahi at Diwa ng Tarlac, Romulo Blvd., Tarlac City, Philippines
2025 Mindanao Art Fair | SM Lanang, Davao City, Philippines
2025 Group Show by Art Lounge Manila | Modern and Contemporary Art Festival (MOCAF), Marquis Event Place, Taguig City, Philippines
2025 Seasons by Art Lounge Manila | Art Fair Philippines, Ayala Triangle, Makati City, Philippines
2024 Art Market | Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2024 Art in Aura | SM Aura, BGC, Taguig City, Philippines
2024 Mirrors of the Mind by Art Lounge Manila | Modern and Contemporary Art Festival (MOCAF), Marquis Event Place, Taguig City, Phil.
2024 The Muse | Art Fair Philippines, The Link, Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines
2023 Balangay: Navigating Artistic Horizons | Luzon Art Fair, Bulwagan ng Kanlahi at Diwa ng Tarlac, Romulo Blvd., Tarlac City, Phil.
2023 Figured | Art Lounge Manila, The Podium, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2022 Continuum | Galerie Raphael, Lanang, Davao City, Philippines
2022 The Empty Chair Project Reprise | Art Lounge Maniala, The Podium, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2020 Brave New World Project | Art+ Magazine Online Exhibition and Coffee Table Book, Philippines
2019 A Distillation of Color | Art Lounge Manila, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2018 Contemporary Chronicles | Galerie Joaquin, Rockwell Center, Makati City, Philippines
2018 Vive l’ Art | S Maison, Main Atrium, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Philippines
2018 Art in the Mall | Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2018 Art with a Big Heart (Fund Raising Auction) | Manila House, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines
2017 Bazaar Art Jakarta | The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place, Jakarta, Indonesia
2017 Alab ng Puso | SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2017 Art Fair Tokyo | Tokyo International Form, Tokyo, Japan
2016 Art Kaohsiung | The Pier-Art 2 Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2016 Art Fair Tokyo | Tokyo International Form, Tokyo, Japan
2015 15th Festival International du Film Insulaire | Port Lay, Ile de Groix, Bretagne, France
2014 Affordable Art Fair Singapore | F1 Pit Building, No. 1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore
2014 ManilArt | SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Philippines
2014 Art in Transit: Modern and Contemporary Art Festival, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
2014 Affordable Art Fair HK | Hong Kong Convention& Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
2014 Art For All Manila: The Affordable Art Fair | 3rd Floor, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Philippines
2013 Art From the Heart | Galerie Joaquin, Addition Hills, San Juan, Philippines
2013 Affordable Art Fair Singapore | F1 Pit Building, No. 1 Republic Boulevard, Singapore
2013 ManilArt | SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Philippines
2013 Coffee x Art Festival | Event Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2013 Salon International | Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, Texas, USA
2013 Affordable Art Fair HK | Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Centre, Hong Kong
2013 Richeson 75 International Competition Exhibit | Richeson School of Art & Gallery,Wisconsin,USA
2012 Galerie Joaquin Year 11 | Galerie Joaquin, The Podium Mall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2012 Art For a Cause | McKinley Hall, Manila Polo Club, Makati City, Philippines
2012 Oktoberfest | Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City, Philippines
2012 Flores de Mayo | Galerie Francesca, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
2012 Galerie Joaquin Year 10 | Art Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2011 Contemporary Art Philippines Premiere Auction | Galerie Joaquin, San Juan, Philippines
2011 ArtExpo Malaysia | Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2011 ManilArt | NBC Tent, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines
2011 La Musique | Art Center, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2010 Saya : Grand Fiesta Manila | Resorts World, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines
2010 Art Expo Malaysia | Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2010 Celebration 10.10.10 | Galerie Francesca, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2010 Northern Elements | Tala Gallery, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
2010 ManilArt | SMX Convention, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines
2010 CITEM | Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
2009 Compassion in Action | Galerie Francesca, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
2009 Chanum | Le Chef, The Manor, Camp John Hay, B.C. , Philippines
2009 In Frame | Tam-awan Village Gallery, Baguio City, Philippines
2009 Manila Art 2009 | NBC Tent, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
2009 Deconative | The French Corner, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
2009 Tradition & Innovation | ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum, Makati City, Philippines
2008 Translations | Tam-awan Village Gallery, Baguio City, Philippines
2008 Yevea | Albergo Hotel, Baguio City, Philippines
2008 Tam-awan Village Group Show | Oarhouse Cafe & Gallery, Malate, Manila, Philippines
2008 Igorots in Contemporary Clothes | Café by the Ruins, Baguio City, Philippines
2007 Images From the Cordillera | Renaissance Gallery, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
2006 Delphic Festival Group Show | Convention Center, Baguio City, Philippines
2006 Spirit of the Cordillera | Baguio Country Club, Baguio City, Philippines
2006 Colors in the Mist | Baguio Country Club, Baguio City, Philippines
2005 Cordillera Images | Gallerie Andrea, Intramuros Manila, Philippines
2005 Tam-awan Village Group Show | East West Gallery, Hawaii, USA
2005 The Spirit of Baguio, Philippines | RHO Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2005 Group Show | NHK Osaka Museum of History, Japan
2005 Arts in Bloom | Baguio Country Club, Baguio City, Philippines
2004 Tam-awan Village Group Show | Le Souffle, The Fort, Makati City, Philippines
2004 UP Fine Arts Group Show | Salud Bistro, Baguio City, Philippines
2003 Small Works Exhibit | Tam-awan Village Gallery, Baguio City, Philippines
2003 Tales of Enchantment from Barlig | UP Baguio Cordillera Studies Center, Baguio City, Philippines
2000 UPCB-Fine Arts Show | PCIB Twin Towers, Makati City, Philippines
1999 Ta-wid | Maryknoll, Sanctuary Gallery, Baguio City, Philippines
PUBLICATIONS
2020 ART+ Magazine Issue 70, “Artist’s Sojourn”, 2 page feature about “Relic”, 6th solo show
2018 ART+ Magazine Issue 55, “Art For the Environment”, 2 page feature about “Confluence”, 5th solo show
2017 ART+ Magazine Issue 52, “Colors of Excess”, 2 page feature about “Colors of Excess”, 4th solo show
2016 ART+ Magazine Issue 43, “Homecoming” Jef Cablog Returns from a Residency in France
2015 Philippine Daily Inquirer (August 3, 2015), “Cablog tackles tragedy of nature in ‘Coexistence’”
2012 Manila Bulletin (March 5), “The Narrative Art of Jef Cablog”
2012 Contemporary Art Philippines (ART+) Magazine Issue 20, “Echoes From The Highlands”
2010 BlueCanvas International Art Magazine Issue 6 (Oct), 8-page feature, “Jef Cablog
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