A Quick Escape

“Automatism is like the passengers whom he has seen. They are all different, spawning continuously and randomly. Balboa does not want to think he just wants to be surprised to create this series and simply that is it.”

Text and images by Abe Orobia
TOYM 2021 Honoree, Education, Arts, and Culture
April 19, 2023

Ruta 1

Kevin Balboa reconnects with his early muses for this exhibition. He loved traveling when he was younger and did not mind the hassle caused by traffic and other stuff. In his mind, he simply does enjoy it and wants to pass time munching on his favorite candies. Perhaps that is the benefit of young age when there is so much time, that in effect, one simply does not mind nor simply care at all about being lost in their thoughts: the excitement, the adventure, and the unexpected turn of euphoria induced.

Ruta 2 and Ruta 3

Instead of painting religiously and patiently working on successive layerings and details, he went back to drawing—his first love. He says that there is no definite plan for making the series presented in this exhibition titled ‘Mga Pasahero Byaheng Walang Destinasyon.’ Balboa tells that he worked unconsciously, relying upon automatism and spontaneity. Aptly titled Ruta 1-15, Balboa highlights his experiences in traveling pre-pandemic and seeing random people in public utility vehicles. As any passenger would have experienced, the people you meet are random. Some make an impression and some do not, some incite curiosity, and some do not. It is the randomness that is his inspiration and makes traveling worthwhile. 

Automatism is like the passengers whom he has seen. They are all different, spawning continuously and randomly. Balboa does not want to think he just wants to be surprised to create this series and simply that is it.