This September, Chati Coronel returns to the Philippine art scene after many years living in the States with her show An Hour in a Glass Balloon, in which she remains true to her medium of expression of 18 years, painting.

Born from an idea floating in her head, An Hour in a Glass Balloon reveals a whimsical and magical world, which Coronel explains as a world that “usually doesn’t get celebrated in art.” In her large-scale oil paintings she uses the woman as her focal point, revealing the duality of their strength and softness with bulbous, organic shapes --as a parachute, a cape, a headdress—and vibrant colors. The softness of the feminine form and the boldness of a woman’s sensuality are contradictions that are not necessarily in conflict with one another. As in the piece, Turning Dakini, the woman’s exposure is twofold. She is vulnerable in her nakedness, but strong in her conviction to reveal her true self. Self-assured, she has nothing to hide.

Amidst the flowing shapes, dream-like scenes and colorful tapestry, Coronel also taps into “something more human, more recognizable”. In this series of work, she presents imagery to pull people in. An Hour in a Glass Balloon may be from a magical world, but it is nevertheless a world we all have versions of. Her work taps into her own set of dreams, floating ideas and aspirations The women, whom she describes as “goddesses from her Buddhist consciousness”, Coronel paints to activate their power in her own life. Through them, she hopes to discover her own power.

Though still at the boundary between what is and what isn’t, An Hour in a Glass Balloon “records and documents in paint” images that activate the “infinite possibilities that exist inside all of us.”

Words by Bea Davila