Dex Fernandez
Born 1984 in Caloocan, Philippines
Lives and works in Manila, Philippines
Dex Fernandez is an interdisciplinary artist based in Caloocan. Drawing from sources such as street art and found footage, Fernandez’s practice ranges from paintings and drawings to murals, mixed media works and vintage photography-inspired posters from thrift shops. Through juxtaposition of religious iconography with pop imagery, children’s drawings, tattoo motives and cut outs from adult magazines, Fernandez’s eclectic compositions challenge the traditional definitions of high culture and fine art. By adding imaginary landscapes, patterns and creatures to found images, he explores the idea of found memories and appropriation.
Works of Dex Fernandez have been exhibited in the Philippines and internationally. He also completed residency programmes at the following institutions: Vermont Studio Centre (2011), Ping Pong Art Space Taiwan (2012), Lir Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2013) and Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2013).
CV
Dex Fernandez studied Fine Art and Advertising at the Technology University of the Philippines. Before becoming a full-time artist, he worked as a graphic designer for a printing company.
Solo exhibitions: “:-)”, Pablo Gallery, Fort Bonifacio Global City Taguig, Philippines (2013), “B/W/TPE“, Pingpong Artspace, Taipei, Taiwan (2012), “Garapata Toy Launch“, Secret Fresh Gallery, Ronac Art Center, Ortigas (2012), “VSCX”, Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Vermont, USA (2011), “XOXOXO”, West Gallery, West Ave. QC (2012), “\m/”, 20sq Slab/Silverlens, Makati City (2012), “- + *”, Pablo Gallery, Fort Bonifacio Global City Taguig (2010).
Recent group exhibitions: “Manila Vice: Part of Bastards of Misrepresentation”, Sete Museum, France (2013), “Art Fair Philippines”, The Link Carpark, Ayala, Makati City, Philippines (2013), “Bastart of Misrepresentation”, Topaz Art, New York, USA (2012), “Bloom Art Festival”, Cubao, Quezon City (2012), “From the Black Lagoon”, Department of Avant Garde Cliché, Pasong Tamo Ext. Makati City (2012), “Outerhope”, Blanc Gallery Shaw Blvd (2012), “Art Stage Singapore”, Pablo Gallery, Marina Bay Convention Hall, Singapore (2012), “Confessions of a Sinner”, Manila Contemporary, Whitespace Pasong Tamo Ext. Makati City (2011), “Wallpaper 2”, Pablo Gallery, Cubao X (2011), “A Soundtrack to Nothing”, Crucible Gallery, Mandaluyong City (2011), “Hats On, Bottoms Off”, Blanc Compound, Shaw Blvd Mandaluyong City (2011), “Flatfield”, West Gallery, West Ave. QC (2011), “Survavalism”, Light and Space Contemporary (2011), “Boy Cotter of Beauty and the Theoretical Steroid Defiled Modernist Chicken”, West Gallery, West Ave. QC (2011).
Dex Fernandez, Scabs and Stitches, 2014, Acrylic and thread on archival print, 121,92 x 243,84 cm | 48 x 96 in, # FERN0001
Exhibitions
Manila: The Night is Restless, The Day is Scornful
Group exhibition of contemporary Filipino artists at ARNDT Singapore
Curated by Norman Crisologo
July 12 - August 30, 2014
Opening reception | Friday | July 11, 2014 | 6-9 pm
Please click here to view the list of artworks
"Manila: The Night is Restless, The Day is Scornful" features works by Mike Adrao, Gabriel Barredo, Santiago Bose, Zean Cabangis, Jigger Cruz, Alfredo Esquillo, Dex Fernandez, Kawayan de Guia, José Legaspi, Pow Martinez, Alwin Reamillo, Kaloy Sanchez, Norberto Roldan, Jose Tence Ruiz and Tatong Torres.
Manila is a city of extremes, and at a time that only the extreme makes an impression, it still manages to shock. To wander into its streets, to be among the crowds, to be caught in the din of history that barrages you at every corner is to participate in a drama that began centuries ago, but whose cries and whispers echo resound well into the present. The sacred and the profane, the amatory smiles and the feral gaze are all on display here, as the unforgiving sun of its days give way to the artificial neon of night.
This exhibition is a guided tour of Manila, by asking its best contemporary artists to act as Virgils ushering us into its depths as well as pointing out the stars of the darkened heavens above this infernal city.
Erwin Romulo, 2014
Manila: The Night is Restless, The Day is Scornful, 2014
The catalogue was published on the occasion of the curated exhibition of Norman Crisologo at ARNDT Singapore in 2014.
This publicationis a guided tour of Manila, by asking its best contemporary artists to act as Virgils ushering us into its depths as well as pointing out the stars of the darkened heavens above this infernal city and features works by Mike Adrao, Gabriel Barredo, Santiago Bose, Zean Cabangis, Jigger Cruz, Alfredo Esquillo, Dex Fernandez, Kawayan de Guia, José Legaspi, Pow Martinez, Alwin Reamillo, Kaloy Sanchez, Norberto Roldan, Jose Tence Ruiz and Tatong Torres.
The publication "Manila: The Night is Restless, The Day is Scornful" features the essays of Erwin Romulo, Oliver X.A. Rexles
Self-Published by ARNDT / 70pages, many colour plates
unbound soft cover
Language English
Installation view I
Installation view II
Installation view III
Installation view IV
