ANDRES BARRIOQUINTO (Filipino, B. 1975)

Andre s Barrioquinto takes cues from the great renaissance and modernist periods, with Heaven's Maze , a two-panel painting that depicts the past and future. Like in a dream, both panels transport viewers to a new dimension where the styles of the great artists of past blend with Barrioquinto's signature, multi-layered patterns and prints.
The left panel describes the past, the time of ambitions, potentials and opportunities as represented by the lush green countryside in the background and the negative image inset of a girl attracting a multitude of butterflies on her face. On this panel, the hand is seen wearing a ring on the left thumb, signifying will and self-assurance, a trait that it common in youth.
The right panel, meanwhile paints a profoundly contrasting picture of the future. A grayscale painting reminiscent of American Gothic showcases a married couple (seen in the f igure of cats), representing a known stage in a man's life. In this painting, the left hand no longer wears a ring, suggesting the end of the self-assurance, determination and folly of youth.