New paintings by Filipino-American artist Opal Mae Ong. Based in Brooklyn, Ong’s work contains a deep reverence for the otherworldly, combining the remnants of ancestral knowledge with speculative visions to form a kind of personal myth-making. The title of their latest series, “Always Were”, is intentionally fragmentary suggesting a temporal and grammatical ambiguity that points to the liminal nature of Ong’s figures and the time and place they inhabit.
The paintings also draw from Philippine folklore, including the pre-colonial babaylan—spiritual leader and healer—that exists beyond stable gender or form. For Ong, the Philippines marks both a presence and absence, with familial ties and influences remaining strong despite physical proximity. In particular, Ong’s grandmother, Amalia, who spent decades labouring abroad herself, is the matriarch of the family and yet someone Ong has not seen in person since early childhood. The death of Ong’s father nearly a decade ago similarly deepens the sense of distant longing and suspended belonging that echoes throughout their work. While these paintings do not illustrate grief directly, Ong is clearly exploring the conditions it creates—restlessness, transformation, and ongoing connection.
“Always Were” is currently on display at Plato gallery in New York until April 19.
