16/05/2026
We Occupy Space
James Imperial
May 6 - 26, 2026
This body of work begins with something ordinary—a box. A simple object from childhood, often overlooked, yet full of possibility. In these pieces, cardboard becomes playful figures—animals, robots, and imagined companions—each carrying the echo of early imagination.
As a child, a box was never just a box. It could be a spaceship, a helmet, a world beyond the room. It was where creativity had no limits. This exhibition returns to that space, where making and dreaming become one.
For James Imperial, creativity is rooted in memory. His work explores how imagination begins and how dreams give it direction. From humble materials emerge forms that are both nostalgic and forward-looking—playful expressions of curiosity and exploration.
At its core, the exhibition reflects a simple idea: the dream of going to space often starts in the smallest places. A box becomes a vessel, imagination becomes a bridge, and creation becomes a way forward.
These figures—animals and robots alike—are fragments of that childhood vision, reminding us that even the simplest materials can still carry us somewhere new.
Art Underground is located at 2/F Mabini180, 180 A. Mabini, Brgy. Addition Hills, San Juan, Metro Manila, and is open from 10AM - 7PM, Monday to Saturday.
