Acclaimed sculptor Impy Pilapil banners latest 'Of Art and Wine' series

Published On: November 8, 2022, 10:34 AM

Impy Pilapil's artwork from 28 years ago is on display in the exhibit.

Renowned sculptor and visual artist Impy Pilapil headlines the newest “Of Art and Wine” series of Conrad Manila with her exhibit, “Traces of Infinity.”

The 21st installment of the hotel's art exhibit features 17 mixed media works and sculptures of Impy created from 1994 to 2020.

In an email interview with GMA Lifestyle, Impy shared her inspiration for “Traces of Infinity,” which blossomed mainly from her musings on the spiritual plane.

"Ancient civilizations have always fascinated me. I believe that humanity once was more attuned to the spiritual plane--more in touch with the vibrations that may have guided us to do great and wondrous things,” she said.

She added that humanity “may have lost the ability to commune with the 'divine' or the spirit realm because of our thirst for progress.”

“Traces of Infinity was derived mainly from my musings on this matter and the questions that come in tow with the persistence of curiosity,” she explained.

Curator Nestor Jardin revealed that Impy's exhibit was supposed to be showcased in March 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Because of this, she said the exhibit has then become more of a symbol that “resilience still has meaning.”

“I believe I am not alone in this and many of my peers will agree: creating is like breathing to us--it is not something that is easily given up on,” she said.

When asked what her favorite piece is from the exhibit, Impy said, “My favorite artwork will always be the artwork I am working on currently.”

“While working on a sculpture it demands your full attention. There are no frivolous and casual mistakes being made. Stone in particular demands much of a sculptor's time and vision,” she continued.

The oldest among Pilapil's exhibited works is the 1994 stone sculpture, "Existence," which is also the only piece not for sale.

Existence (1994)

“Existence is an heirloom that marks the earliest that I entertained the notion of higher life and the divine--the influence that they have on us as people and why I do art in the first place,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nestor noted that what sets this installment apart from their previous ones is that they rarely exhibit sculptures.

"We rarely exhibit sculptures here… mainly we exhibit paintings. But in the case of Impy, what makes her special is she does wall art, as well as sculptures,” he said.

He added that it is an honor for the hotel to feature such a distinct visual artist.

“Impy is such a well-established artist and it's an honor for us to feature her,” he mused.

Impy also launched her first book, Saturn, during the exhibit's opening, which is part of a career autobiography.

“Traces of Infinity” will run from October 26, 2022 to January 7, 2023 at the Gallery C of Conrad Manila.

Here are a few of our favorite pieces from the exhibit:

Existence

This stone sculpture was created in 1994.