The Material Explorations Exhibit held its official artist reception on Sept. 7, 2026. The event took place at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Gallery.
The solo exhibit features Jandy A. Carvajal. He is a visual artist and an educator. This show marks his second feature at the gallery.
His new body of work challenges conventional art ideas. It highlights resourcefulness, sustainability, and creative transformation.
Carvajal focuses on repoussé. This metalworking technique shapes malleable metal from the reverse side. The process creates relief on the front.
His journey with the technique began in grade school in 1991. It has grown into a deep study of materiality and value.
Carvajal used salvaged aluminum for his 2014 solo exhibit, PLATA FLORA. That show ran at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
In 2022, his NCCA exhibit explored new ideas. It was titled Ang Ating Mga Kayamanan sa Bakuran / Our Treasures in the Yard. He transformed vegetables using brass and gold-plated surfaces. The pieces evoked a sense of preciousness.
Now, Carvajal moves beyond metalwork. He examines what everyday materials can become.
The exhibition features five subsets of works. They use salvaged aluminum and biscuit tin can covers. Other pieces use flattened wooden matchboxes, egg cartons, and soil. Acrylic and ink complement these items.
Carvajal turns discarded materials into art. He promotes recycling and sustainability. These principles guide his work as a teaching artist.
He avoids traditional medium prestige. Instead, he highlights the potential of humble and available items.
A recurring subject is Mater Dei, or the Mother of God. Carvajal honors her through devotional imagery. September hosts the exhibit. The month traditionally marks the birth of the Virgin Mary.
The art draws from his Catholic upbringing. He uses familiar religious imagery.
Carvajal transposes devotional images into unexpected materials. He references estampitas and traditional icon paintings. Devotion becomes a method to examine materiality.
The ordinary receives renewed attention. Aluminum, tin, cardboard, wood, and soil lose their functional roles. They become sites of memory and devotion.
Artistic value lives in transformation. It does not rest in the material alone.
Material Explorations runs until Sept. 31 at the NCCA Gallery. Doors are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.