Sydney-based Filipino cartoonist and artist Edd Aragon—who has been creating editorial cartoons, caricatures, and comics for more than 20 years—has for the past few years been experimenting with pigments that react to ultraviolet (UV) light. In his latest Manila exhibition at the Yuchengco Museum, Aragon presents Under a Different Light, featuring paintings of human figures that can only be seen under UV light. The exhibit runs until April 20.
Edd Aragon began exploring UV light-reactive paint in 2004, when he was commissioned to paint murals for a Sydney restaurant which had blacklit fluorescent lights. He formulated his own pigments with the help of a chemist friend. Aragon has previously his exhibited UV light-reactive paintings in Sydney in 2007 and in Manila in 2008.
Born in Manila, Aragon spent his early cartooning years contributing editorial cartoons and strips to Philippine Bulletin Today and Philippine Daily Express. He moved to Sydney in 1979, and soon worked as a cartoonist for The Australian and The Daily Telegraph. He is currently the opinion-editorial cartoonist of The Sydney Morning Herald. Aragon has also illustrated for a number of books and magazines such as Asia Pacific Monthly, Mad, Playboy, and Penthouse, and contributes articles and cartoons to various Filipino-Australian publications.
Aragon will discuss his art and recent experimentations with UV light-reactive paints on Monday, February 21, at 2 p.m. Artist’s talk is free with museum admission.
Yuchengco Museum is located at RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala and Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenues, Makati City. Museum hours are Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For details, call (632) 889-1234 or visit www.yuchengcomuseum.org.
