Are the portraits a manifestation of the “inside”, of internal esoteric meanings, or are they just purely on the “outside”, as formal observation on the surface?

KIKO CAPILE:  As for my portraits, its more of the inside. I created them in a way that it can provoke contrasting emotions. It represents emotional states that are difficult to express. They are portraits of complexity and ambiguity…

LYNDON MAGLALANG:  It depends on the viewers on how they interpret the message of artworks on how they build connections from the master-piece itself. My ultimate aim/point is on how to become more visionary and prepare with the upcoming scenarios, and every time that it comes across my path I have two big pictures in my mind which encompasses the small and huge circumstances between the two that I mentioned, one thing that I am sure about is that everything is clear to me whatever will come in my way.

Is there a particular mood, an ongoing metaphor, or even a social narrative and satire that is present in the picture? And what is the process involved?

ALLAN BALISI:  I don’t try to capture moods in my paintings. For the colors, I chose what’s the best color to translate the chosen images into painting, how to adjust to the grainy screenshots or how will I allow the images to transform in my desired output, the mood and colors or absence of colors. It’s all intuitive.

NIX PUNO:  They're actually the same person (that you see in my two works). I just took random snapshots of what my mom was watching on tv. So it's me just basically lifting out two passing still frames out of the millions we've probably seen these past few months (since we've all been pretty much locked up at home and glued to our screens).

JULIUS BAGOYO:  Not necessarily. Again, when I start painting these I really don't think about much of what it can symbolize or be a metaphor of. Although I do like the idea of these b-word people being stripped and almost ridiculed for not having their faces painted. I guess it is kind of like a "humiliation" process. Overall, I'd like to believe that my works have stayed the same since I've started; with them still not being in any way didactic, and always free to any interpretation (I do however, have some works which are direct social commentaries). Also, I have never thought of it that way (i.e., the work having a particular sense of humor) and it's never been pointed out, but to a certain extent I guess subconsciously there is. Almost satirical, as if saying "these aren't the royalties you're used to seeing".