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Mike Adrao

Born 1973 in Philippines
Lives and works in Philippines

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• Exhibitions

Michael Alvin Adrao, also known as Mike Adrao, graduated from the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines, in 1998. Studying in a vibrant atmosphere of the 1990s and together with prominent figures of today’s art scene in the Philippines, Adrao was one of the co-founders of Surrounded By Water, a legendary artist-run space in Manila (members included Geraldine Javier, Mariano Ching, Riel Hilario and others). Struggling with the difficult financial realities of the 1990s, Adrao chose to work as an illustrator for Adarna Publishing and stayed in the industry for many years. A chance meeting with an artist and a fellow student at University of the Philippines, Leslie de Chavez, led to Adrao’s come back to a full time artist practice in 2008. Impressed by the sketchpads full of drawings accumulated over the years, Leslie De Chavez offered Adrao a residency in his studio and a slot in a group show “Mahati – Bound for Malaysia”.
Since then, always most comfortable while working on paper, he continued to explore the techniques of pencil, ink and charcoal. Most recently Adrao has completed his research stay and commissions for the Lopez Museum in Makati City, Philippines (2014). His creations – highly detailed ornamental and anthropomorphic drawings inspired by artifacts, photographs, maps and war memorabilia in the collection of Lopez Museum and Library – represent the various forms of colonization that the Philippines have undergone throughout the centuries. Several of the pieces from the “Colony” series (Complicated, solo show at Lopez Museum in partnership with Tin-Aw Art Gallery, 2014) were presented as part of curated platforms for Southeast Asian art at Art Stage Singapore 2014.

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Solo exhibitions: “Decoy, Decay.”, Tin-Aw Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines (2012), “Project Space Pilipinas”, Southeast Asia Platform of Art Stage Singapore (2014).
Group exhibitions: “Ang Delatang Pinoy: Yes, the Filipino Can!”, Hiraya Gallery, Manila, Philippines (1996), “Mula Filibustero Hanggang Kay Marimar”, NCCA Building, Manila, Philippines (1996), “Crossroads”, Australian Center (1998), “Songs on Renewal”, Casa San Miguel, Zambales, Philippines (1999), “Recent Works 4” and “Urbanisasyon”, Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, Philippines (2003), “Artriangle”, Sokka Gakkai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2008), “Monumental”, Manila Contemporary, Makati City, Philippines (2011), “Munnyfestation”, Blanc, Quezon City, Philippines (2011), “Complicated”, Lopez Museum in partnership with Tin-Aw Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines (2014).
In 2008 and 2009, Adrao went through two residency programmes, one for Project Space Pilipinas in Mandaluyong City and one for NEAR Dangsang in Korea.

Exhibitions