Exhibition text by Alec Sayson

Lost in Translation is a celebration of Beatrice Batungbacal’s young artistic journey, which began six years ago back in her hometown of Manila, Philippines. In her first solo exhibition, Batungbacal bravely presents her life as circumstance bequeaths to her a pathway to self-discovery. Each piece is a meditation on the artist’s lived experiences using her art as a compass to navigate in search of her place in the world, painting the story of her newfound identity through an artistic exploration of the inner workings of her soul within the purview of history.

Batungbacal brilliantly takes this opportunity to explore the feelings of uncertainty in this period of one’s life, when the realm of possibilities may offer more confusion than comfort — establishing roots in a city that speaks a different language, often finding herself physically lost in translation. 

In a series of paintings: Plaza Mayor (2021), Cibeles at night (2023), and The monastery (2023), the artist revels in the beauty of Madrid, showcasing its most famous landmarks, markedly devoid of the usual rustle and bustle of tourists from all over, as a celebration of the freedoms that the city provides as she steps into this new chapter in her life.

Her journey progresses into the intimate as the artist weaves a sense of home and community into commonplace as depicted in her works. Batungbacal gives us a glimpse into her personal life and her artistic progression through the increasing awareness of techniques employed in her paintings as time creates space for the artist to perfect her craft. 

Batungbacal’s introspection on the Filipino artist culminates in Pink People in a Museum (2023), a work that presents a juxtaposition of the artistic lives of Filipinos all throughout history together at the Círculo de Bellas Artes. This piece demonstrates the power of art in uniting a common cause through the portrayal of the works of the Ilustrados: Rizal, Luna, and del Pilar, as she rises to the zenith of her craft, wrestling with the inevitability of her past as an expatriate artist in the capital of her former colonial master.

Ultimately, Lost in Translation is the story of an artist compelled to examine her true nature, free from the bounds of expectations, living continents away from any semblance of the life she used to have. As she slowly builds connections with the people around her, all caught in the act of being lost, she finds that she is surrounded by similar beings, surprised that a city so foreign can give her what she has searched for all her life.