Leslie de CHAVEZ

Leslie de CHAVEZ(b.1978) is an artist who cautiously unravels his own inquiry on sensitive topics like colonial history, religion, cultural imperialism, corrupt politics, revolution in which experienced by his native Philippines with expressive and intense paintings and sensuous installations. His work, captures the story of the past, the people living in the present, and the will for the future, which mainly constitutes a country of the contemporaneous Philippines and offers an extraordinary insight into the past and features an interesting and colorful expression of various critical points that are seen in contemporary society by mixed with religion and symbolic figures.

The foundation of his creative work is a deep concern about what role and function art plays in society. CHAVEZ captures social change and criticizes irrationality and corruption and exposes them in front, has a mysterious, personal aspect, despite brings empathy from the majority. Fragmented memories of individuals scattered over large and rough historical facts, by using it with objects or people surrounding, connect the past and present, and social and individual relationships. Interest in objects that are commonly found is the starting point for his work. His carving work is a mix of materials, urban or mechanical production, such as LEDs and sand, as well as objects once used, such as wooden boards, old monitors and clothes. Regardless of the genre, the people and the stories it's behind in his work, it captures the painful past and reality that cannot be ignored. The stories are extremely based on Filipino society and history, but it is never just a story of a particular society, but anyone can relate to it.

Born in Manila in 1978, Leslie de CHAVEZ received his BFA in Painting from the University of the Philippines in 1999 and is currently based in the Philippines. He has held solo exhibitions at ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea) in 2026 and 2016; Gajah Gallery Singapore (Singapore) in 2025; Silverlens (Singapore) in 2021 and 2013; ARARIO GALLERY SHANGHAI (Shanghai, China) in 2018; and Liverpool Hope University (Liverpool, UK) in 2015. He has participated in group exhibitions at Gajah Gallery Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) in 2025; Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum (Bratislava, Slovakia) in 2019; Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art (Jeju, Korea) in 2015; ARARIO MUSEUM in SPACE (Seoul, Korea) in 2014; López Museum and Library (Manila, Philippines) in 2014; and Singapore Art Museum (Singapore) in 2013 and 2012. A two-time award winner (2014; 2010) of the Ateneo Art Awards for Visual Art. Leslie de Chavez is also the director/founder of the artist-run initiative Project Space Pilipinas, in Lucban, Quezon.