It’s not uncommon for artists to explore themes of light and darkness, but for some, this exploration unfolds gradually across different bodies of work. For Phonsie Castañeda, that journey has developed over time, shaped by memory, curiosity, and a long-standing fascination with space and astronomy.
Photo: Phonsie
Castañeda grew up around art, with a watercolor artist as a grandfather. This early exposure eventually led him to pursue visual communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Fine Arts, where he worked across different media, including watercolor, ink, and digital art.
After graduating, he spent several years in the advertising and design industry. He later co-founded Studio After Six, a Manila-based design studio. The experience gave him a closer look at the demands of commercial work and shaped his understanding of creative practice in a professional setting.
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Over time, Castañeda began returning to personal work more consistently, drawing from ideas of space, memory, and emotion. These themes became central to a growing body of work that often explores contrast—light and dark, clarity and uncertainty, structure and looseness.
His second solo exhibition, Void Voyage, will be on view at Altro Mondo Creative Space starting May 2, 2026, until May 30, 2026. It follows Cosmic Child (2024) and Liwanag at Dilim (2025), continuing a series of works that engage with personal mythology and shifting emotional landscapes.
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In Void Voyage, the direction moves inward. The works focus on quieter moments and less defined spaces, where thoughts and emotions are not fully resolved but continue to take shape over time. Instead of clear conclusions, the pieces reflect a slower process shaped by memory, hesitation, and observation.
The idea of the “void” in this context is not treated as emptiness, but as something that holds depth. Within the works, light still appears, often in subtle contrasts or shifts in tone. His monochromatic palettes allow these elements to sit alongside each other rather than in opposition.
Across the exhibition, the works lean into this in-between space—where things are still forming, and meaning is not immediately fixed. The process itself becomes part of the work, shaped by a gradual build-up and reduction.
Photo: Phonsie
For Castañeda, the exhibition continues a line of inquiry that has developed over several years, moving from external references to more internal landscapes. Each body of work adds another layer to this ongoing exploration.
As with his previous exhibitions, Void Voyage does not present a final answer but rather continues a visual conversation that is still unfolding.
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