Exhibitions

Stories are one of mankind’s oldest art form; be it a fairytale or a tragedy, each has something to offer in the present reality. Visual artist Averil Paras weaves together his favorite concepts of the impossible and fantastical; an accumulation of influences, practice and reference.

Averil Paras has long been fascinated by the world of dreams. Dreams, like poetry, myth and fairy tales, speak to viewers in the language of image, symbol, archetype, and metaphor––and often come as nonlinear narratives to puzzle, mystify, and challenge.

The practice of transposing narratives into art forms––while leaning into their metaphoric language, creative imagery, and archetypal symbols––can be affective, clarifying, and instructive––or, perhaps, even more powerfully, can help artists creatively be open to the nonlinear, irrational, mysterious, and magical. Inspired by the silhouette illustrations from fables and classical paintings, Paras has adopted a surrealist approach to bring his dreams to form; as a way to illustrate the dialogue with its metaphors and archetypes.

As part of the artist’s exploration on familiar references, he has created work based on biblical stories, legends, folklores, and parables. These stories excite Paras’ imagination; for him, they offer meaning on different levels. They call up memories from earliest experience and yet they offer a view to the human experience at a universal level.

Averil Paras has been capturing his audience’s attention through his stories carefully crafted in his paintings. A consistent Metrobank Art and Design Excellence finalist, he had formal training in Fine Arts (as an Advertising major) at FEATI University. His passion to transcribe stories onto his contemporary canvas has earned him spots in the Ateneo Art Auction for two successive years, and in the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Auctions for three years.

“Mes Rêves” (My Dreams) by Averil Paras will be on view from July 22 - 31, 2021. Galerie Joaquin U.P. Town Center is located at 2/F Phase 2 U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. For more information, contact (+63)2 8247 1109 or email galeriejoaquin@gmail.com.