Born in Caloocan City, Philippines in 1978, Max Balatbat also known as Maxbal is an abstract painter. Maxbal’s father was an architect which explains his natural affinity to the world of art, and it has not been hidden at all. His early creative formation and works took inspiration from the “international cabaret”, a brothel where he spent an unusual childhoold in the company of prostitutes and rugrats like him bared to a life of subtle contradictions, and to some extent ,bitter ironies. As a profoundly referential artist, this place reminds of every line every shape and every color which eventually came out in his works and everything about it has its own story. Earlier, he studied Architecture at the Far Eastern University in Manila 1995 but in 1997, after circumspecting the creative path, he decided to take Fine Arts instead at the University of the East Caloocan. Needless to say, he rediscovers himself through paintings and it was at this point where he started joining a lot of art competitions. In 2002, he completed his degree in Fine Arts with a major in Advertising and was awarded as one of UE’s Exemplary Performance in Visual Arts + Outstanding Alumni and 2009 Grand Prize winner of 3rd AAP-ECCA Abstract art competition and GSIS ABSTRACT competition 2009. Max Balatbat is from his own unique generation of artists with piercing grit and passion. He is one of the moving force and creative motor behind the spirited art collective, Sininggang. Sometime in the past, he worked as a graphic and product designer at American Technologies Inc and also had a stint at SYNEX publishing where he explored his creativity in design in magazines like LEMON and TRUE GRIT. He also did some station work at MTV Philippines, after so many accomplishments in design, Max decided to go back to painting. At first he struggled with and paddled through various techniques and styles until finally discovered his distinct own. Accidentally seeing his father’s old floor plan led him to an exciting new experiment that would later produce a fresh perspective in his art. Combining his educational background, he came out with a distinct style he now calls architectural abstraction. In architetural abstractions, he shows beguilling elements of different structures and other unassuming subjects like shanties, abandoned buildings, and other interesting edifices forming an interesting orchestra of imposing and decorous of rugged blocks, lines and images in masterly composition and sensibilities. In art nothing is ruled by serendipity, now after years of gallery experience and numerous achievements, both professional and personal in visual arts, Max Balatbat continues to perform his duties of innovation and visual fluency. Until today he continues to do his story telling with his vigorous and assured abstractions of the unusual and interesting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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