Ian Castañeda | Bio | Artist Statement | Exhibitions

Bio:

Ian Castañeda is a Filipino artist based in Toronto. He had a proclivity for art and capturing beauty in a canvas ever since his formative years in Baguio City, Philippines. This keen interest was nurtured by his love for history and by the ubiquitous religious art in his home country. He kept cultivating this appreciation for art even as he pursued a formal education in a different field for practicality. He relentlessly improves his skills as a self-taught artist as he explores different styles and materials in his portrayal of the human figure and his signature subject: paper. He first exhibited his works in 2015 at Deutsche Bank in Manila. He participated in various group shows and in 2017 his works were shown in ManilArt, the longest-running art fair in the Philippines. He continued to produce and show works in the Philippines until he immigrated to Canada in 2020. The ensuing world event allowed him to refocus, contemplate, and prepare fresh work as he gains a foothold in Toronto's art scene.

Artist Statement:

Randomness, imperfection, exploration, risk. These are the focus of my paintings littered with paper. Most would consider a crumpled piece of paper garbage. But the folds and the wrinkles make the paper interesting if we choose to view it in a different light. Sometimes, they even make the paper beautiful.

My paintings celebrate this; the messiness of life and our imperfections. Our past experiences, good or bad, change us. These ultimately give us character, depth, and a unique perspective that makes us who we are. Using oil paint to render the patterns formed by paper, I give life to the varied figures I find within a piece of paper. The abstract quality of the folds helps this message unfold before the viewer's eyes.

Exhibition History:

Group Exhibitions:
2023 - Elaine Fleck Gallery, “Elaine Fleck Fine Art Exhibition”, Toronto, Canada.
2019 – Othello, “I give you My Art 4”, Taguig City, Philippines.
2019 – Othello, “Windows”, Makati, Philippines.
2018 – Othello, “I Give You My Art 3”, Makati, Philippines.
2018 – J Studio, “Unnatural 4”, Makati City, Philippines.
2018 – Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, “Flawless”, Quezon City, Philippines
2018 – Art Elements Asian Gallery, “June Elements”, Taguig City, Philippines.
2018 – vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, “Verse to Form”, Muntinlupa City, Philippines.
2018 – vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, “A Malady of Sorts”, Pasig City, Philippines.
2017 – Art Space at Deutsche Bank, “Differences II”, Taguig City, Philippines.
2015 – Art Space at Deutsche Bank, “Appreciating in Art in Deutsche Bank”, Taguig City, Philippines.

Art Fairs:
2021 - UPIS Art Fair 2021, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines.
2020 – Art in the Park, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines.
2019 – Art in the Park, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines.
2018 – ManilArt18, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Taguig City, Philippines.
2018 – Art in the Park, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines.
2017 – ManilArt17, vMEME Contemporary Art Gallery, Taguig City, Philippines.