In A Temporary Vessel, the Mind is Not, Jonas Eslao continues to navigate the contradictions and intersections between the mind and the body. Using a symmetrical vessel as a metaphor for the search for balance, Eslao reveals the tension beneath its surface symmetry through his use of rough canvas and his play of color and texture. The vessel exposes the fleeting and intangible meanings contained within the vessel, as well as the mind’s enduring consciousness.

From unearthing memories to confronting lived realities, Eslao explores memory as both an act of acknowledgment and a bridge between the past and present. Through his continued exploration of his abstract sensibilities, he opens a conversation on the complexities of remembering and how the act of recollection becomes a search for balance between what is remembered and what is forgotten.

By reflecting on human experience and its layered narratives, Eslao reminds us that the mind is not a temporary vessel—but a space where memory, history, and belief endure.

Jonas Eslao (b. 1984 in Manila; Lives and works in Manila) has exhibited extensively since 2007. His past works contained themes that thrive on the effects of human intervention on nature and investigate the contribution of cultures and economies to climate change. Recently, he has been exploring abstract expressionism as he creates gestural landscapes using household tools. In his works, Eslao engages in an activity where the thrust shown in each painting no longer rests in the images and subjects produced but, rather, how the inner stimulus of the artist controls every loose brushstroke and every spontaneous motion that happens within. He received his BFA in Painting from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. His works have been featured at Art Fair Philippines since 2013 and at ALT Philippines.

— Amiel Louise