This is Kulay Sa Tubig.
Gallery Genesis, with great pride, presents its 33rd iteration of the annual invitational art competition Kulay sa Tubig. The event is highly anticipated by audiences, and collectors alike, eager to witness artists aspiring to hone their craft and push the envelope of visual art. By bringing painters together in the name of the medium, the prestigious competition perseveres in championing the beloved medium of watercolor.
The landscape of watercolor has truly flourished since Kulay sa Tubig was initiated in 1983. At the time, watercolor used to be considered as a lesser kind of form, which was only apt for studies or drafts. Gallery Genesis founders Araceli Salas and Ernesto Salas took on the mission to showcase the medium’s aesthetic nuances unique to itself: the luminosity of light, finesse of each stroke, and the fluid movement of pigment.
As philosopher Heraclitus said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice.” No brush stroke is ever the same, either. Between a brush and paper is an infinite number of possibilities. From the varieties of washes to blooms, gazing, and dry brush, an artist has a wide range of techniques to wield–and a true master knows the balance between spontaneity and deliberation, and that each stroke must have intention. After all, the medium leaves little room for second thoughts. As anyone who has seen a small creek merge into a raging river, water itself has no master. It can be unruly, wild, and unpredictable. And yet the finest of watercolorists persevere in harnessing water as a conduit for creating impressive paintings. They shape the flow of paint with precision and discipline to bring out its expressive qualities that provide glimpses into inner truths.
Truly, watercolor is a demanding medium in its own right, even for the brightest of talents. It’s often considered one of the most difficult mediums to master. Yet there is no shortage of talent in the Philippines. From hundreds of entries, Gallery Genesis carefully curates only the best to be exhibited in Kulay sa Tubig. Naturally, what emerges are different facets of what it is to be Filipino, as seen in these myriad depictions of pastoral landscapes, urban sprawls, cultural heritage, historical narratives, and deeply human stories.
Kulay sa Tubig’s 33rd iteration surely promises a phenomenal array of works, and the pleasure of introducing five more Top Philippine Watercolorists into the pantheon of Philippine art, from September 27 to October 3 2021. — DCB
Celebrating art on lockdown.
In a forward thinking move, Gallery Genesis dares to break new ground by opening up Kulay Sa Tubig to the general public. Despite the year long pandemic, the 32nd Kulay Sa Tubig Competition was celebrated on October 12, 2020 at The Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall whilst still implementing safety protocols and strict social distancing guidelines.
Hall of Fame: The Battle of the Champions.
Lim, Margarita ‘Marge’
Paisley Afternoon
Vista, Jimmy
Harvest Amidst Pandemic
Wong, Shui Long
Boracay Blue Sea
Baldemor, Manuel ‘Manny’
First Christian Shelter
Five Star Ratings & Reviews.
“It is essential to honor artists who have earned their place in the art scene, but competitions such as Kulay Sa Tubig are also about recognizing young and emerging ones. Those who have yet to make a name for themselves. The artists who are working solitarily in their studios, moving water, stroking magic, and trying to catch rainbows across surfaces of immaculate paper.”
The Philippine Star
“The Top Five Winners emerged from the highest scores of the judges, evincing each of the jury’s astute eye to highlighting and pinpointing a particular work’s skill of execution tempered by grace of delicacy and refinement, and more exceptionally, propelled by a fresh and surprising, because totally unexpected, eschewing the more familiar visual tropes.”
Mr. Cid Reyes, Art Critic
“In a forward-thinking move, Gallery Genesis dares to break new ground, as galleries are slowly starting to open up to the general public. The physical exhibit opening posits that watercolor painting has always maintained a level of skill on par with other painting techniques, deserving of its own mastery and recognition”
The Purveyr Magazine
“The Kulay Sa Tubig Exhibition aims to raise funds for the benefit of the frontliners of the UP Philippine General Hospital. 75% of the gross profit from the art for a cause exhibition will be used to purchase face masks, personal protection equipment, and other essential medical items for the front liners of UP PGH.”
Art Plus Magazine
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