07 September 2026
A Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection became the starting point for a professional gallery exhibition featuring artists from ARTELIER Benilde.
Held at Nami Art Gallery in Quezon City from 16 to 28 August 2026, Wabi-Sabi showcased the works of current and former ARTELIER members under the mentorship of Abe Orobia, a Benilde faculty member who teaches in the Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Culture-Based Arts program. The exhibition also featured invited guest artists and professional mentors who worked alongside the participating artists throughout the creative process.
Curated by Orobia and organized in collaboration with Nami Art Gallery, the exhibition explored the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which embraces imperfection, incompleteness, and impermanence as natural parts of life. The theme encouraged participants to examine their own experiences and translate them into artworks shaped by personal reflection and growth.
For Orobia, the exhibition carried a meaning that went beyond the gallery walls. “Wabi-Sabi for me is a metaphor as to why I continuously do mentoring,” he explained.”I believe in aging with grace, and being more grounded in responsibility is the key part of it. If I can inspire my mentees to continue my life’s mission, then that alone for me is triumph.“
The exhibition continued a conversation that began in Oubaitori, another ARTELIER exhibition mounted at Nami Art Gallery in 2025. While Oubaitori focused on personal growth and the idea that people bloom in their own time, Wabi-Sabi invited artists to embrace life’s unfinished and imperfect moments as part of their creative journeys.
The project also ran alongside Orobia’s solo exhibition, Nature × Nurture, which was presented at the same gallery during the same exhibition period. Together, the exhibitions offered visitors a look at both Orobia’s personal artistic practice and his continuing mentorship of emerging artists through ARTELIER.
ARTELIER traces its roots to 2017, when students continued attending Orobia’s classes even after completing their drawing and painting courses. Their desire to keep learning eventually grew into a community dedicated to traditional visual arts, artistic development, and mentorship.
That culture of learning shaped the preparation for Wabi-Sabi. Orobia introduced the exhibition theme during an ARTELIER seminar earlier in the year and opened applications for artists who wished to participate. Over the following months, students and alumni attended regular meetings, consultations, concept studies, and critiques that helped them develop their ideas and prepare their works for exhibition.
The exhibition also gave student leaders an opportunity to take on larger responsibilities. Rachel Holaysan, ARTELIER president, served as project head and trainee curator for the show. She worked closely with Orobia throughout the planning process and described the exhibition as an opportunity for established artists and emerging artists to share knowledge and creative guidance.
“This exhibit is more than just the creative community of traditional artists coming together to showcase their artistic skills honed throughout their professional years, but also their guidance and voice for the growing artists of the next generation,” Holaysan shared.
Consultation sessions became one of the most valuable parts of the experience for participants. “There, we were guided by our mentors to expand our studies and concepts more,” Holaysan said.”I was also able to see the works and consultations of fellow artists. Witnessing their ideas and progress is both inspiring and motivational for my own work.“
Other participants found meaning in the shared process as well. Cydney Shanelle pointed to the group critiques as an important part of developing the artworks and understanding how each artist approached the same theme from a different perspective. The experience created a sense of community among participants as they worked toward a common goal.
The exhibition featured the work of current and former ARTELIER members including Sophia Aquino, Daphne Co, Eunissa Geryll, Raychel Ingrid, Gabriel Jugno, Pat Lacorte, Kathryn Leigh, Anakira Mascariñas, Cydney Shanelle, and Roren Sy. Professional artists served as co-mentors throughout the project, helping participants refine their concepts and prepare for exhibition.
The exhibition note described Wabi-Sabi as an incubator initiative that forms part of Orobia’s practice as both artist and educator. By providing opportunities to exhibit alongside established practitioners in a professional gallery setting, the project encouraged emerging artists to develop their own creative voices while gaining firsthand experience in mounting an exhibit.
For ARTELIER members, the journey from campus activities and mentoring sessions to a professional gallery represents another step in their growth as artists. Through projects like Wabi-Sabi, students and alumni continue to explore new ideas, share their work with wider audiences, and learn from a community of mentors and fellow creatives.
For more information on Benilde’s undergraduate programs, contact us at (63) 2 8230 5100 local 1801 or admissions@benilde.edu.ph. You may also visit our website at www.benilde.edu.ph.
