On view from January 30 to March 4, 2017, Shadow Forest: Encounters and Explorations showcases a variety of Ventura’s works, from his lithograph prints during the nineties to his life-size mechanical carousels in 2016.

 Curated by art scholar and critic Patrick D. Flores, Shadow Forest: Encounters and Explorations presents Ventura's complex and ever-evolving style that mixes figurative images, folklore, graffiti and pop culture, and incorporates a wide array of techniques and material explorations. Trained as a painter, this leading Filipino contemporary artist has ventured into three-dimensional art forms, further exploring his iconic figurative hyperrealism and multi-layered compositions. 

Occupying the MET's ground floor galleries, the exhibition collection is divided into 10 sections: Early Prints, Light box Series, the Carousel, Human Study Series, Constellation Series, STPI Prints, Small Sculptures, Drawings in Cloud, Bulul Series and Early Sketches.

Aside from highlighting Ventura's adept technique and graphic intelligence, this exhibition looks into contemporary issues that have touched the artist’s sensibility, such as the country’s multi-faceted identity, global warming and earth’s diminishing resources, among others.

Shadow Forest: Encounters and Explorations is the most comprehensive solo exhibition to date of the Ronald Ventura’s oeuvre, underscoring the MET's efforts to amplify the Filipinos' sense of artistic and cultural heritage from the past, to the present and beyond, in contemporary global contexts and experiences.

The exhibition is complemented by a lecture and walkthrough by the artist, a storytelling activity for kids, guided tours and special offsite projects. 

The MET is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays. For more information, email info@metmuseum.ph or contact (02) 708-7828.