Rocelie Delfin’s nostalgic drawings of unnamed islands recall the ocean journeys of her youth. Seen from the distance of a barge, these islands are a source of comfort within the vastness of open sea. They become a playful invitation to imagine little stories or adventures of what could exist in these remote and scattered places. Delfin’s brief trips served as momentary escapes, small tastes of freedom from the routines of rural life.
Drawn purely from memory, her intuitive approach produces raw, poetic images that are distinct and unique to her work. Water movement takes shape through hundreds of meticulously drawn minuscule lines, showing the same incredible patience it takes on a sea journey with no land insight. Tiny abstracted islands, precious as haikus, seem to appear like glimmers of hope on the horizon.
Viewers of these works feel the sense of peace when looking out to endless ripples of ocean and the uneasiness when there is absence of landmark. A sliver of forest brings relief and joy of finally sighting land. Such universal emotional response springs from our human nature as land creatures and social beings, constantly seeking connections to mark our place in the world.
About the Artist
About the Artists
Rocelie Delfin’s raw, poetic images often recall the remote areas of Lanao del Norte where she grew up: lush forests, flowing rivers and unnamed islands. Details of rocks, birds and plants are patiently and meticulously rendered with hundreds of minuscule lines and strokes, a process that she developed intuitively. She puts pen and ink to paper, drawing purely from memory and imagination. Some of these plants and trees are fictional constructs, as if they are from fairy tales or strange lands. These drawings carry the distinct tension of simple happiness, freedom and spontaneity layered with obsessive and laborious execution.
Related Exhibitions
About the Artists
About the Artist
Rocelie Delfin’s raw, poetic images often recall the remote areas of Lanao del Norte where she grew up: lush forests, flowing rivers and unnamed islands. Details of rocks, birds and plants are patiently and meticulously rendered with hundreds of minuscule lines and strokes, a process that she developed intuitively. She puts pen and ink to paper, drawing purely from memory and imagination. Some of these plants and trees are fictional constructs, as if they are from fairy tales or strange lands. These drawings carry the distinct tension of simple happiness, freedom and spontaneity layered with obsessive and laborious execution.
Related Exhibitions
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