Color is perhaps the most potent language of nature. This is not surprising since color is the offspring of light, which in turn is the soul of the universe. Light, heat, and color are the landmarks of existence and sentience. Our individuality is forever intertwined with the ecology of the cosmos. The life of the universe flows into our personal and individual spaces, and we complete the circle by relinquishing that vitality back to the universe at the end of our brief stay.

This sense of shared existence and this presence of universal sentience are the cornerstones of Caesario’s visual contemplations on nature. One is immediately drawn into the heat and energy of his composition. The colors are unapologetically bold. He veers little from the sharpness of the primaries, expressing directness yet not yielding to vulgarity. It is as if the artist rebukes instead of invokes. But there remains a poetic flow in the way he rebukes. This is because Caesario’s medium brings to surface the reality and urgency of a natural world at the brink and on the verge of obliteration. Imagine a vital flame breathing in its last traces of oxygen, how the light flickers at its hottest and at its brightest for a brief moment until the cold and the darkness claims it all.

Caesario’s field of composition is filled to brimming but does not drag the eye towards exhaustion. Within his maze-like lines are visual codes and messages. Viewing his works from a distance offers a manner of conversation and introspection that is different when the same works are viewed in close proximity. Different viewing angles and vantage points offer varying talking points, particularly to the discerning eye. What appears to be a delightfully chaotic flow of bioluminescent lines soon evolve into outlines and visages of flora and fauna peering through feral and forested terrain. The playfulness of the creative process delights our childlike curiosity. But at the same time, the layered visual metaphors sharply remind us of our negligence as a species in the context of our ecological habitat. His works are inquiries: do we truly deserve our place on this living planet?

Particularly noteworthy are his color-coded “Earth” series. Caesario ingeniously weaves the shape and symbol of the circle into a labyrinth of lines and colors. Across various cultures and ages, the circle has been revered as the symbol of wholeness, of eternity, of unity, of life. Caesario’s works commonly and prominently feature this sacred shape, as is evident in the “Earth” series.

The technique is precise and subtle that the regularity of the circular form does not immediately dissociate with the relatively chaotic elements of the composition. Indeed, one requires a certain level of focus and insight to discern the contrast at a single glance. Caesario also curates his colors with care, matching the proper value and blend of complementaries and primaries to produce the best visual experience. His colors are not mere embellishments. They are statements. “Violet Earth” is a somber introspection on spirituality, the sovereign mind, and mystical awareness. “Red Earth” is a bold discourse on power, passion, ambition, and fervor. “Green Earth” is an adulation of the cyclical potential of life, fertility, natural disposition, and vitality.

Caesario’s masterworks occupy a rare terrain in the spectrum of creative visual forms that celebrate and critique the interconnectedness of art and nature. Caesario’s works open a rare space for artistic and philosophical conversation that is closest to the deepest core of our collective humanity. He does not flatter nor insult us with the obvious. He invites us to both feel and think. Only then do we truly survive and thrive as a species that earned its place in this planet and in this universe.

About the artist

CAESAR SARIO was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila to parents hailing from Polangui, Albay and Buhi, Camarines Sur. He is an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas Fine Arts program. He is a multi-awarded artist in the areas of Visual Arts, Sculpture, and Photography. His works have been featured in various art shows, exhibits, and private collections in the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Hongkong, and Saudi Arabia. To date, he has helmed four acclaimed solo art shows in Australia.

Professionally, Caesario has experience in advertising, having served as the Art Director in such firms as McCann Erickson in the Philippines, and Pacific Publications in Australia.Artistically, Caesario’s works are highly distinct for their bold colors, conceptual aesthetics, and graphic style–blending his background in traditional canvas work and in photography. His primary and preferred themes are influenced by issues on climate change, ecological conservation, protection of endangered flora and fauna, and the spiritual bond between humanity and the cosmos.

About the curatorial notes writer

DENNIS B. GONZAGA: Writer, critic and academician. Faculty, School of Graduate Studies and Research; Head, Research and Public Engagement at Museo de Isarog, Partido State University-Goa, Camarines Sur. Former Humanities faculty at Ateneo de Naga University. Curator of The 416 Art Space in Naga City. Advocate, Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement. AB Political Science, Ateneo de Naga University; MA Asian Studies, University of the Philippines.

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