Red Genotiva: Pop surrealism as mind work

DAVAO City — Artists and art enthusiasts may want to check out the works of this budding visual artist, Red “Oni” Genotiva, who is starting to make his mark with unique, intriguing pop surrealist art.

The 25-year-old artist recently opened his third solo exhibition, entitled “C h i l d r e N” at the Art Portal Gallery for Contemporary Art, here in Davao City. The exhibit runs until April 4.

Anime (Japanese-style animation) shows in the local television were then popular to children. As a growing child, Red was one of those fascinated to it. But he didn’t stop there. He started sketching similar to those anime characters and had a collection of his little artworks.

After completing BS Information Technology major in Multimedia at the University of Immaculate Concepcion, he made this hobby into a serious career by pursuing Fine Arts at the University of San Carlos in Cebu. With a background in painting, he began to focus on creating artworks using his distinctive style.

Aside from painting, he is also into digital art.

Some of his artworks featured in the exhibit include Mind to Sorrow, Self Loathing, Uncertainly Gaze, and Delinquent Thoughts, with images of children (with surreal or amorphous heads) and symbols like weeping eyes, flowers, and clouds. Interestingly, there’s a feeling of melancholy, gloom looking at these paintings, contrary to its light, soft, pastel colors.

Red’s art is influenced by artists like Mark Ryden, Ron English, Charlie Immer, Naoto Hattori, Hikari Shimoda, and Yoko D’holbachie.

His other solo exhibitions include “Play House” (2018) in Davao City, and “Together We are Friends” at the Jose T. Joya Gallery in the University of the Philippines Cebu early this year. He also participated in some group shows in Cebu City (2015-2018), Art Portal gallery for Contemporary Art Davao (2018), and the District Gallery in Quezon City (2018). (davaotoday.com)