"Always Were" by Artist Opal Mae Ong

"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."

"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."

"While these paintings do not illustrate grief directly, Ong is clearly exploring the conditions it creates-restlessness, transformation, and ongoing connection. 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."

Opal Mae Ong, a Brooklyn-based Filipino-American artist, creates paintings that merge ancestral wisdom with speculative imagery to construct personal mythology. Her latest series, "Always Were," employs intentionally fragmentary language to convey temporal and grammatical ambiguity, reflecting the liminal nature of her depicted figures. Drawing from Philippine folklore, particularly the pre-colonial babaylan spiritual leader, Ong's work addresses the Philippines as both presence and absence in her life. Her grandmother Amalia, who labored abroad for decades, and her father's death nearly a decade ago inform the emotional landscape of her paintings. Rather than directly illustrating grief, Ong explores its conditions: restlessness, transformation, and sustained connection across distance and time.

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