Curated by Miguel Rosales, the exhibition at the Y Space of Yuchengco Museum presents sculptural works constructed from storm-damaged boat propellers, exploring themes of recovery and forward movement.
What sort of beauty can emerge from wreckage, and what does it say about recovery and renewal? This is the question at the center of Pasulong, the latest solo exhibition by artist Anton V. Quisumbing. Curated by Miguel Rosales, the 29 sculptural pieces in the exhibition were made with the remains of bronze propellers from boats damaged during Typhoon Odette in 2021.
Curated by Miguel Rosales with exhibition design by Caramel Creative Consultancy, the collection represents a significant pivot for Quisumbing. After a period focused on painting, “Pasulong” marks his return to three-dimensional forms—a transition born from a two-year process of processing loss and longing through physical labor. Set to open on May 15, 2026, at 6 PM, the show will take over the Main Gallery of Y Space at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City.
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From Disaster To Design
The collection represents a significant pivot for Quisumbing, marking a departure from painting and a return to three-dimensional forms. This transition was the product of a two-year process wherein the artist contemplated on the ideas of loss, longing, and repair. The result is a series of works that showcase the act of moving forward, which he notes, is non-linear in nature. Arcs and material curvatures abound, giving rise to dynamic forms that emulate motion. Some shapes resemble spiritual symbols that stand steadfast like moral compasses, while others appear as hurried strokes toward an undetermined elsewhere.
Working with bronze was a physically taxing endeavor given its lack of malleability, the process mirroring the weight of emerging from a major upheaval. Yet the act of creating with his hands was the grounding force that kept Quisumbing emotionally sound, his adaptability to both material and circumstance evident in every piece.
A central highlight of the collection is the piece titled “Sight,” which depicts a misshapen figure standing tall atop a twisting metal base. This specific sculpture features an almond-shaped eye running horizontally across its center and armor on its left side to shield it from external aggressors. It’s just one of the pieces in the exhibition that carries a sense of lightness, reflecting our own ability to stay afloat despite the weight of what we carry.
Ultimately, Pasulong is an acknowledgement of what Quisumbing had to do to keep moving forward: face the damage, overcome it, then reshape its imperfections into something new and beautiful.
Photos courtesy of Anton V. Quisumbing
