Reflections on Transcendence

Having garnered his status as one of the country’s masters of abstract modernism, visual artist Norberto Carating remains a notable presence in the realm of Philippine non-representational art for his consistent espousal of the idiom. His latest exhibition at Galleria Nicolas, “Reflections on Transcendence,” transforms the gallery into a space where comfort resides in the disquiet of ambiguity. One is invited to do away with visual reality and the weight of interpretation, and to let the beauty of forms take precedence.

Choosing to eschew traditional painting techniques, Carating’s quick and gestural approach to abstraction guides each work from a stark outline of concept and composition to the rhapsodic displays of colors and textures for which he is known. Particularly fascinated with the character of lines, the artist scrapes horizontal, vertical, and crosshatched lines onto still-wet pigment, creating a tactile viewing experience. This particular series from the abstractionist plays with Zen-like iconography through the imagery of circles, crisp as if meticulously carved from a layer of paint. Coupled with vibrant layers of hues fading into each other, and the soft sheen of metallic pigment, these geometric pieces betray a sense of restraint and a certain intentionality that permeates every aspect of Carating’s practice.

Within “Reflections on Transcendence,” Norberto Carating moves beyond the need for the convention of representational forms, instead evoking resonance through texture and material play. He is ultimately revealed as an artist at ease with the ambiguous as he creates a temporary escape from the objective—a space for open aesthetic contemplation. In doing so, meaning emerges not from depiction but from sensation and encounter.

“Reflections on Transcendence” by Norberto Carating will be on view at Galleria Nicolas Glorietta from June 12 to 23, 2025. The gallery is located on the 3rd Floor, Glorietta 4, Courtyard Drive, Ayala Center, Makati. For inquiries, contact Galleria Nicolas at +63 917 534 3942, or email info@gallerianicolas.com.