Leslie De Chavez (b. 1978)
The Substitution of Innocent Ramon
signed and dated 2010 (lower right)
oil on canvas
D: 77" (196 cm)




EXHIBITED:ManilART '10, SMX Convention Center,Pasay City, July 30 - August 1, 2010


The practice of contemporary visual artist Leslie de Chavez often concerns itself with the circumstances of the Philippines’ sociocultural and socioeconomic landscape. A native of Quezon province, de Chavez earned his formal education in the arts through a Bachelor’s degree in Painting from the University of the Philippine’s School of Fine Arts. He then gained awards and accolades for his exceptional practice such as the 2nd prize at the Metrobank Foundation Young Painters’ Annual in 2003, the Leipzig International Art Program Grant in 2011, and the Fernando Zobel Prize for Visual Art in 2014. He has also mounted various group and solo exhibitions in various cities such as Manila, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, and Jeju. De Chavez has also worked as a curator and project manager for various arts-based projects. De Chavez is interested in exploring and investigating the complex web of relations and disciplines that inform and make up contemporary Filipino society. His subjects range from cultural imperialism, critiques of politics, colonial history, consumerism, and religion. Meanwhile his approach often features exaggerated figures and forms, lending his works a sense of irony and satire. In The Substitution of Innocent Ramon, de Chavez presents us with an image of a traditional Filipino Politician seemingly controlling or even rewriting the circumstances of an event that had just transpired. To the side we see a blindfolded woman and person with a bag on their head, both of which seemingly act as metaphors for the blinded populace and the fate that befalls those that dare to act against those in power. The work is deeply affecting in this regard, showcasing the breadth of what happens under the noses of the Filipino people. (J.D)