Songs from the River

Embellished in gold leaf, painted in earth colours and decked in choice imagery, the paintings of Mario De Rivera tell the memoirs of an explorer. The mixed media artist received his formal training from The University of Santo Tomas in 1974 and has since then been making waves in the Philippine Art Scene for creating exquisite collections that meld culture and tradition flawlessly.

Having grown in Cagayan Del Norte, Mario recalls his childhood playing by the river, his youth mostly spent around nature. These memories point out the adventurer in the artist --a trait that shaped Mario's signature art from the plethora of influences he gathered as a globetrotter. Spending weekends in the forbidden city, exploring the Manchurian battlefields in the north of Beijing, on to the valley of the Ming tombs, to the steppes that lead to Tatung further up; each encounter added to the archive of inspiration that enriched his imageries over time.

The 16-piece show entitled "Songs From The River" serves as the visual remembrances to these travels chronicling moments in history and highlighting beauty in its remains.