DEK: Jasper Castro’s journey through bipolar condition and artistic triumph.

Images provided by Majoy Siason-Bascos for the NCCA Gallery
June 21, 2023

At the age of 21, Filipino contemporary artist Jasper Castro was clinically diagnosed with the bipolar condition but probably had it since she began her suicidal ideations at age 4. In her quest to break free from her predilection for a death wish, she has found her purpose through art. With brush in hand and a blank canvas in front of her, the painting already exists in her head; all she needs to do is bring it out. This type of creative breakthrough is part of a manic episode for someone who is experiencing bipolar condition. And for Castro, this also comes with a double-edged sword. What is the price to pay for mania? Often, it is depression.

The Artist is Alive is a multi-sensorial and multi-form art exhibit that attempts to explore nuances of the bipolar experience within the context of a gallery space. Some of the artworks contain moderate swear words and sexual content within the context of the ideas in which they were created by the artist. In this exhibition, Castro’s works vibrate with unbridled creativity, curiosity, and a pang of voracious hunger for life—neither her scars nor her illness lessen her femininity or strength. Sensorial, profound, and unflinching, her art is not just a celebration of the human spirit and a testament to the power of artistic expression to heal and transform, as it further bridges the gap on intersectional issues (e.g. socio-economic class, employment opportunities, discrimination, public health care) and alleviates mental health in the context of a Third World country like the Philippines.

Join her as she arrives, heralding, miraculously, that she is alive.

The Artist is Alive will run from June 7 to 30 at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Gallery located at the Ground Floor, NCCA Building, 633 General Luna St., Intramuros, 1002 Manila. Follow @jasperhannahart on Instagram for the latest updates on the exhibition.