Stillness, softness, and surreal forms take center stage in this dreamy collection of contemporary works.
By Dara Clariza Evangelista
Art doesn’t always need to shout to be heard. Sometimes, the most playful, surprising pieces are the ones that stay with you the longest. At this year’s MoCAF, Art Toys PH brings together seven artists for “Look at Me, I’m Still Right Here,” a group show that’s a little weird, a little wonderful, and full of work that makes you look twice, then maybe even stay.
ABI JOSON’s piece feels like a hug from another dimension. A bright pink figure is wrapped in soft, woolly cloud forms with shiny pink eyes peeking out like secret guardians. It’s plush, dreamy, and just the right amount of uncanny, like a toy that might blink when you’re not looking.
GABRIEL BUENABAJO’s golden sculpture looks like it wandered out of a fantasy chapel. With a regal crown made of gems and a sheer dress that catches the light, the figure glows with divinity and drama. You don’t know if she’s ascending or just vibing, but either way, she’s ethereal.
INAH SANTOS paints joy directly onto the body. Her earthy-toned sculpture is covered in vines, petals, and mushrooms, like a forest nymph in a bikini. It’s bright, grounded, and just a little mischievous—like someone who definitely talks to plants.
MAI PIMENTEL DE DIOS gets graphic with a warped portrait on a loud coral background. The woman in yellow goggles stares ahead with heavy lashes and a face that slides just off-center. It’s stylish and strange, like a character from a comic book with too many secrets.
MICLCEE takes you somewhere soft and surreal. Two pastel girls stare out from a dreamy floral world, both wearing what appear to be rabbit heads as hats. One holds daisies. The other, a fork and knife. The contrast between innocence and tension is haunting and oddly tender.
NICOLE CONWI’s sculpture feels like it belongs underwater. A figure in glistening blue sits calmly, vines and flowers curling around her, drops of water clinging to her skin. She wears headphones, but it’s her stillness that’s loudest—serene, soaked, and utterly captivating.
VANNY rounds things out with a pop-culture punch. A cool-toned painting of a boy in a jumpsuit leans against a red sports car. With oversized goggles and a heat gun tossed nearby, the scene hints at burnout, rebellion, and the kind of quiet that comes with being young and unsure.
Altogether, “Look at Me, I’m Still Right Here” is a celebration of the soft, the strange, and the people who don’t always ask to be seen—but deserve to be. You’ll find it at Booth 14, MoCAF 2025, from July 11–13 at Marquis Events Place, BGC. Just look a little closer.
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