b. 1989, Caloocan, Metro Manila, Philippines
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Dennis Bato
Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines
Currently pursuing his Masters in Fine Art at the University of the Philippines
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For Dennis Bato, a young artist from Manila whose creative and intelligently perceptive works have been getting deserved attention, the path to becoming an artist has not been a straightforward one. Like a number of other artists we’ve come to know over the years, Dennis obtained his formal training in the field of architecture.
Like many architects-turned-artists, Dennis initially did some amount of architecture-related work after graduation, at the same time pursuing fine art on the side, initially involving himself in street art and graffiti. He is an affiliate of Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP), a community established with the mission of “showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art on streets” (from PSP’s Facebook page). His involvement with PSP is an important facet of the artist’s development, and it is a community with which Dennis remains a part of until today.
His background in architecture has given this young artist a unique way of looking at what’s around him, constantly deconstructing the obvious to discover insights about how the world ticks. In architecture, Deconstructivism is a movement that creates forms characterized by the absence of symmetry, harmony or continuity, emerging as a post-modern architectural movement that appeared in the 1980s.
It is through this lens that the artist analyzes society, often uncovering questions that have been forgotten, or expediently brushed aside for the sake of development and “progress”. His transition from street art came with a desire to find deeper meaning within his artistic practice, to find contextual connections between space and the human forms that inhabit it. Through his art, Dennis posits questions that are socially relevant and articulate the chaos he sees within society; questions demanding attentive and ruminative thoughts from the viewer.
Solo Exhibitions
2018
Commercial Packaging, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
2017
Deliverance, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Unknown Quantity, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
2016
Routinary, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
2015
Sa mata ng ating kamalayan (In the eyes of our consciousness), Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
2014
As We Lay to Bed, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Group Exhibitions
2020
Arthouse, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Alt Philippines 2020, SMX Convention Center, BGC, Taguig, Philippines (“Veer”, with Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery)
2019
New Wave (Deutsche Bank program), Net Quad Center, BGC, Metro Manila, Philippines
Art Fair Philippines 2019, The Link, Ayala Center, Makati, Philippines (“Consequence”, with Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery)
Anything For Love 3, Hidden Space Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines
Synapse, Giant Dwarf Art Space, Rizal, Philippines
I meet my Bodhisattvas in the Streets, Artery Art Space, Quezon City, Philippines
Familiar Landscape, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Xavier Art Fest 2019, Xavier School, San Juan, Philippines (with Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery & Secret Fresh)
Heads or Tails, Terminal 240, Manila, Philippines
2018
Prime Meridian (Vinyl on Vinyl x Mizuma Gallery), Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Art Fair Philippines 2018, The Link, Ayala Center, Makati, Philippines (“Mantle of Time’s Past”, with Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery)
Manila Takeover, Secret Fresh Gallery, Metro Manila, Philippines
First lessons/an after school special (curated by Garry Ross Pastrana), Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Global Problems, Household Solutions, Pundido, Makati, Philippines
Belleza del Carmen: Rust Art, San Sebastian Basilica, Manila, Philippines
Tagaytay Artbeat 3, Museo Orlina, Tagaytay, Philippines
Melted City 4: NY, Yui Gallery, New York City, USA
Studies of the Present, Mono 8 Gallery, Manila, Philippines
Xavier Art Fest 2018, Xavier School, San Juan, Philippines
Relative Judgement, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Image/Sentence, Mono 8 Gallery, Manila, Philippines
Shanghai Young Art Fair 2018, Shanghai World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Shanghai, China
Cut From The Same Cloth, Kalawakan Space Time, Quezon City, Philippines
2017
Melted City 4 (curated by Louie Cordero and Jordin Isip), Blanc Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines
Art Fair Philippines 2017, The Link, Ayala Center, Makati, Philippines (“Paglutang”, with Vinyl on Vinyl)
Connect 42 @ Sikka Art Fair Dubai 2017, Al Fahidi Historic District Bur Dubai (“Inbound Post” installation)
Art in the Park, Jaime Velasquez Park, Makati Philippines (with Vinyl on Vinyl and Blanc Gallery)
Anything for Love, Hidden Space Co., Quezon City, Philippines
Salut, Homage to Johannes Vermeer, Metro Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Chips II, Hidden Space Co., Quezon City, Philippines
Carnovsky, Hennesy Release, Secret Fresh Magallanes, Makati, Philippines
The Jimmy Santos Show, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Artkarnival, SM North EDSA (by VOV projects), Metro Manila, Philippines
Secret Orange (Secret Fresh x Gallery Orange), Gallery Orange, Bacolod, Philippines
Melted City 4 @RISD, ISB Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
RCTMD3, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Delineate, Hidden Space Co., Quezon City, Philippines
iArt Fest Manila (PSP Booth), World Trade Center, Pasay, Philippines
Merthiolate, Metro Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Farce Eyed, Kalawakan Spacetime, Quezon City, Philippines
2016
Transit, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Recto Made, NOVA Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Recto Made 2, Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea (Picasso), Makati, Philippines
Time Lapse, Kaida Contemporary, Quezon City, Philippines
Letters From Manila, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Commune: (Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP) 10th Anniversary Group Exhibition), Post Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines
Falling Debris, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Show of the Year, Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea (Picasso), Makati, Philippines
Odds and Ends (Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP) 10th Anniversary Group Exhibition), Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Process (Sketchbook Viewing), Purveyr’s Pursuit Fair, Warehouse 8, La Fuerza, Makati, Philippines
Continuum II, Ayala Museum Art Space, Makati, Philippines
2015
Green, Chronic Tattoo X Culture, Pasig, Philippines
Art in the Park 2015, Jaime Velasquez Park, Makati Philippines (“Reciprocity” a two-man art installation)
JKS – 20 Years Strong, Chronic Tattoo X Culture, Pasig, Philippines
Remastered, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Sky Walker, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Naked Launch, Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea (Picasso), Makati, Philippines
Export Quality, An art installation in Gallery 12, QCX Museum, Quezon City, Philippines
Animal Shelter, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
2014
Memoirs and Landmines, Light and Space Contemporary, Quezon City, Philippines
Salut III, Metro Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Vader Boy, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Acousticity, Art BGC, C5 Extension Bridge, BGC, Pasig, Philippines
Remnants (Pilipinas Street Plan at CCP), Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay, Philippines
2013
Joya – A Modern Native (Gallery Big & Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery collaboration), Rockwell Tent, Makati, Philippines
Access, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Pilipinas Street Plan’s “Lost and Found”, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Crystal Head, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Trooper Boy, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
2012
Equallateral (Pilipinas Street Plan exhibition), Light And Space Gallery, Manila, Philippines
A Letter From Manila, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
2011
Dia De Los Muertos, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines
Magnum Asupre, Light And Space Gallery, Manila, Philippines
Republi-can, Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Makati, Philippines
Suck It, Sigwada Art Gallery, Manila, Philippines
Plakard, UP Vargas Museum, Quezon City, Philippines
2010
Static Casualties, Tala Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines
Awards
2017
First Place, Fubu x Dyse one Graffiti in the Hood
2016
First Place, Urban Jam Graffiti Competition
Top 10 Finalist, 1st Don Papa Canister Design Competition
2015
First Place, The Clothing Wall to Wall Graffiti Competition
Second Place, Zooyork x Dutdutan Philippines Deck Graffiti
2014
First Place, Draven Graffiti Competition
2011
Second Place, Red Horse Muziklaban Graffiti Competition
Finalist, Wall Lords Philippines
Finalist, Sulat Kamay Graffiti Competition
Finalist (Water Media), Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE)