Exhibitions

“From a time of sedation, or a pace of movement lacking luster, one might think that the doldrums would last forever. Unbeknownst to others, the wheels keep turning, the handles keep churning and the embers reignite the fire. The motion alone is the embodiment of hope. From here there is a resurgence. There is no giving up. There is no giving in. The light from the fire will cast visions, glimpses of what lies ahead. The light will reveal how far we’ve come.” – Nixxio Castrillo

The pandemic has taken so much; isolation from families, communities, and even from the self. This unexpected time has brought a sense of desolation, a charring of the world as one knew it to be and has, as crisis does, brought a new sense of resiliency. What is ahead for the human race is hope, a new future to be built, a reclaiming what can be forged, not just a return to what was but an opportunity for regeneration.

The works for “Reignite” are loosely inspired by Castrillo’s own experiences; for the artist, it serves as a practical strategy: by thinking of a memory or experience, the process becomes more meditative, which gives the resulting work a deeply empathetic effect. Castrillo’s robust and commanding pieces, and his manner of constructing them in a biomorphic manner, embody the generous attention and compassion he extends toward humanity, granting them space beyond what is granted of them.

Like the artist himself, Nixxio Castrillo’s work is never static. His sculptures and installations reference different spans and scales of times. For this exhibit, the artist values expansive exchange over isolation, and inclusion over hierarchy. –Text by Grace Ng

Nixxio Luarca Castrillo (b.1970) is a Filipino sculptor with commissioned works found locally and abroad. Castrillo was commissioned to do a St. Joseph bas-relief for Ilocos Norte, a bust portrait of F.B. Harrison for the Province of Baras, a monument for the City of Valenzuela, and the Holy Family in California, U.S.A. He is currently working on a monument of the former president, the late Noynoy Aquino, for the City of Manila; and also has ongoing projects for the National Housing Authority.

Nixxio’s artistic style infuses color, with architectural forms and tight compositions, nuances which he learned and understood as a departure from the particularly defined creations of his father, Eduardo Castrillo. Each facet of Nixxio’s own unique oeuvre explores in the form of odes and tributes to his renowned and highly accomplished father. His background in architecture has made an impact to his body of work, most apparent in how his artworks interact with the environment, creating canyons and valleys of shadows between lines.

“Reignite” by Nixxio Castrillo will be on view from October 6 - 16, 2021 at Galerie Joaquin Podium. The Galerie is located at Level 3, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For more information, contact 0926 7227925 or email podium.galeriejoaquin@gmail.com