Filipino artist Patrick Esmao is asking what makes a building worthy of admiration in his new exhibition, Paragon.
In a new exhibition entitled Paragon, Patrick Esmao renders paintings of towers and urban structures with sharp geometry and vertical pull. The buildings in his compositions project permanence, but the artist surrounds them with empty space, solitary suns, and skylines that appear cropped or partially hidden. The effect points to the idea that even the most imposing structures depend on conditions—economic, cultural, and historical—that shift over time.
READ ALSO: Upcoming: MoCAF 2026 Celebrates The Pulse Of Philippine Modern And Contemporary Art This July
Buildings As Monuments: The Concept Behind Paragon By Patrick Esmao
In Paragon, Esmao draws on his training as a draftsman to break the city down into planes, lines, and measured intervals. Facades in his work take on rhythmic patterns and buildings dissolve into pure form rather than depicting any single, identifiable place. The result situates his cityscapes in an invented terrain, where architecture stands in for larger questions about ambition and order.
The exhibition’s title functions as a challenge. Esmao uses it to ask whether an ideal can hold its status once the circumstances that produced it change, and whether excellence can outlast the moment that defined it. He frames his buildings as evidence of a particular alignment of aspiration and belief that belongs to a specific time.
A Companion Book For The Collection
The show coincides with the release of Esmao’s first book, titled Patrick Esmao, which brings together works from across his career and offers what the gallery describes as a sustained look at how his visual language has developed.The book and the exhibition work as companion pieces, with the paintings offering an immediate encounter and the book providing a more lasting record.
Patrick Esmao is available for purchase at Galerie Joaquin branches, and is currently available for private viewing at the gallery’s locations.
Photos courtesy of Galerie Joaquin
Frequently Asked Questions
“Paragon” is a solo exhibition by Filipino artist Patrick Esmao featuring paintings inspired by architecture and urban structures.
Patrick Esmao is a Filipino visual artist known for paintings that explore architecture, geometry, and urban landscapes.
“Paragon” is available for purchase at Galerie Joaquin branches, and is currently available for private viewing at the gallery’s locations.
The exhibition explores ideas of permanence, ambition, and how the meaning of monuments can change over time.
Yes. The exhibition coincides with the release of Patrick Esmao’s self-titled first book, which surveys works from across his career.
