Gallery 119

Gallery 119 Art beyond the contemporary

In cinema, a McGuffin is a plot device—an object or goal—that exists solely to set the story in motion. It is often a de...
04/05/2026

In cinema, a McGuffin is a plot device—an object or goal—that exists solely to set the story in motion. It is often a detail that is irrelevant in itself, yet essential to the journey. For the artist, the "McGuffin" is the quiet, daily ritual: the discarded sketches, the shifting light in a studio, or the moment of frustration that forces a change in direction.

MacGuffin: Untold is a contemporary art exhibition that investigates the "McGuffin" of the creative process. This exhibit draws a parallel to the artist's studio practice, where minute struggles, fleeting reflections, and technical pivots act as the "McGuffins" that drive a masterpiece toward completion.

Featuring Artists:

Joven A. Alcala
Nubbin Beldia
Mike Cortes
Erwin Teves Pascual
Jan Calleja
Candice Arellano
LauRen Liban-Sarmiento
Gelo Bato

Exhibit opens on the 9th of May and will run until the 31st—exclusive at Gallery 119.

See you!

Born in Manila in 1984, Maxine Syjuco is the youngest daughter of avant-garde artists Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco. An i...
24/04/2026

Born in Manila in 1984, Maxine Syjuco is the youngest daughter of avant-garde artists Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco. An internationally awarded poet and visual artist, Maxine is a pivotal figure in both the experimental and surrealist movements in Philippine art. Her work is often presented through a fusion of mediums that intellectually explore the complexities of the subconscious mind.

Described by critics as "a visionary of courageous willpower, influence and giftedness", Maxine's current work is developing ART LAB: The Syjuco Museum. As the Associate Director and Chief Curator, she is dedicated to continuing her parents’ legacy of breaking boundaries for Filipino avant-garde art.

Featured Artwork:

From the Series "Orphan Song" (2026)
L x W x H - 26.5" x 2" x 17"
Mixed Media (Oil, Acrylic, Pigment Ink and various acids)

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of the Philippines- Diliman, Katrina Pallon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts...
24/04/2026

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of the Philippines- Diliman, Katrina Pallon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication. Known for her maximalist style, Katrina's paintings and illustrations reflect her strong affinity for elaborate designs and love for elevating even the simplest of subjects through her meticulous attention to detail. She specializes in portraying cultural hybridism that weave into her telling (and retelling) of folktales spread across the cultures of Asia, which are as vast and diverse as the textures of her paintings. Katrina's works focus on amplifying the voices and truths of women, bridging the time and geography that separate the women in these tales from the present. Her female subjects stand unashamed to recount their stories amidst a backdrop of stunning Asian motifs and exquisite blooms crafted in warm and vivid tones.

Featured Artwork:

Alloys and Flora (2026)
Oil on Canvas
48" x 48"

Katrina Pallon is a visual artist whose strong imagery and conceptual vocabulary inform her distinctive paintings and dr...
24/04/2026

Katrina Pallon is a visual artist whose strong imagery and conceptual vocabulary inform her distinctive paintings and drawings that utilise a variety of mediums. She has actively exhibited under private art galleries and public group exhibitions in Manila, New York, Singapore, and Japan. She also works as an illustrator and muralist. Pallon has carved a name for herself in the Philippine art scene for her creative pieces that embody the beauty of Pan-Asian culture.

Featured Artwork:

Mother of Dragons (2021)
72" x 48"
Oil on Canvas

My work begins with automatism as a point of departure. Rather than planning or constructing images through preliminary ...
17/04/2026

My work begins with automatism as a point of departure. Rather than planning or constructing images through preliminary sketches, I allow the process to unfold spontaneously. Each mark, figure, and form emerges without underdrawing, guided by instinct and the immediacy of gesture. The images appear almost randomly, as if discovered in the act of making rather than designed beforehand.

This approach resonates with the cut-up techniques of William Burroughs and the improvisational structure of jazz. Just as fragmented texts or improvised melodies generate unexpected connections, the elements in my work collide and reorganize themselves into new visual relationships. There is no hierarchy among the images—each figure, object, or fragment carries equal weight within the composition.

Through this process, the artwork becomes a field of simultaneous events. Every element plays a role in the work’s becoming, allowing the composition to grow organically from chance, intuition, and continuous improvisation.

Featured Artwork:
Potions IX (2025)
24" x 36"
Mixed Media on Canvas
Artist: Ian Quirante ()

It's been a week since WALANG KOKORAP: 𝚆𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝙰𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 by .womenartists launched at the gallery. H...
30/03/2026

It's been a week since WALANG KOKORAP: 𝚆𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝙰𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚁𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 by .womenartists launched at the gallery. Here are some highlights during the exhibit opening.

A total of 44 women artists participated and brought together a collection of artworks and a movement standing against corruption.

"Walang kokorap. Women are watching."

Visit the gallery to witness these artworks for yourself!

When the system fails, art remembers.Here are some of the other women artists whose stand against corruption is reflecte...
30/03/2026

When the system fails, art remembers.

Here are some of the other women artists whose stand against corruption is reflected through their works.

Drop by Gallery 119 to experience them for yourself. Exhibit runs until the March 31.

They say power corrupts, but these women are reclaiming the narrative. From the erosion of justice to the crumbling of "...
30/03/2026

They say power corrupts, but these women are reclaiming the narrative.

From the erosion of justice to the crumbling of "perfect" institutions these works don't just observe corruption, they dissect it.

These pieces are up on display at Gallery 119. Come and see them for yourself.

Featured artists:


non

Art that questions, disrupts, and reveals.Featured Artists: @ Yasmin Almonte Come and see these works and many others d...
30/03/2026

Art that questions, disrupts, and reveals.

Featured Artists:

@ Yasmin Almonte



Come and see these works and many others displayed at the gallery!

Voices multiply when the truth needs telling.Swipe through to see featured works by: There are still more to be seen ...
30/03/2026

Voices multiply when the truth needs telling.

Swipe through to see featured works by:





There are still more to be seen and heard at Gallery 119.

At its heart, ℌ𝔞𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔄𝔣𝔱𝔢𝔯 explores memory, innocence, and transformation. The exhibition asks:How did we see the ...
30/03/2026

At its heart, ℌ𝔞𝔭𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔄𝔣𝔱𝔢𝔯 explores memory, innocence, and transformation. The exhibition asks:

How did we see the world when we were children?

What did “forever” mean to us then?

What happens when our adult understanding meets our childhood dreams?

The works navigate nostalgia not as escape, but as inquiry. Artists revisit their younger selves, examining early beliefs, fantasies, fears, and ideals shaped by fairy tales and formative stories. Through various media, the artists explore how imagination once shaped their sense of possibility, and how that vision has evolved over time.

The exhibition becomes both tender and critical, a space where innocence meets experience, and where “happily ever after” is reimagined through mature eyes.

Fairy tales, children’s literature, bedtime stories, and early visual culture serve as primary influences. Many of us first learned about love, heroism, danger, and destiny through storybooks. These narratives shaped our earliest moral compass and sense of magic.

The tradition of storytelling whether oral, illustrated, cinematic, or musical, deeply informs this exhibition. The artists draw from folklore, fantasy, popular culture, and personal childhood memories. They examine how these early narratives created templates for happiness and fulfillment.

Rather than simply romanticizing youth, the exhibition questions it: What did we inherit from these stories? What do we keep? What must we rewrite?

Artist Line Up:

Mica Cabildo -
Lourd De Veyra -
Gary Montenegro -
Katrina Pallon -
Ian Quirante -
Maxine Syjuco - .syjuco
Roanna Ruiz -
Tyang Karyel -
Pika Yonzon -

Curated by: Kooky Tuason -

Exhibit opens on the 11th of April, 2026.

Address

119 V. Luna Ext. Sikatuna Village
Quezon City
1101

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Tuesday 1pm - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 12pm
Thursday 1pm - 6pm
Friday 1pm - 6pm
Saturday 1pm - 6pm

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