The ubiquitous mall looms large in our urban lives: an airconditioned space where Filipinos shop, eat, play, relax, and see artworks. Panulok, in its second iteration, is an exhibit of 18 artworks by 15 Negros artists until August 15, 2026 at the Negros Creative Corner, 1F Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Bacolod City.
Tulok in Hiligaynon means “to look” or “to see”; panulok may refer to the artist’s or the viewer’s gaze or point of view—how we make sense of what is going on around us.
How do we see the world around us? How do we view events in our community, the nation, and the world that affect us, directly or indirectly? At the end of the day, we are all interconnected with each other, like it or not.
Panulok offers an invitation to “magtulok sang maayo” or “look carefully,” embedding in us a spirit of reflection, intentionality, and empathy.
The 15 artists include Aeson Beldevia, Karina Broce-Gonzaga, HR Campos III, Barry Cervantes, Totc Co, Jay R Delleva, Elwah Gonzales, Jovito Hecita, Kyle Jocson, Megumi Miura, Junjun Montelibano, Thea Muscosa, Jashly Santiago, Susanito Sarnate, and R.A. Tijing.
Selected works
So many monsters out there, we have become so used to them, have we?
Quite glossy in playful colors and shapes, acrylic panel cutouts on canvas with resin overlay depict bulbous monsters in crayola green, orange, and yellow, clinging over vehicles everywhere in Monsters Among Us, 2026 by HR Campos III. Human eyes peek calmly, without any trace of fear or terror.
An architect and visual artist, Campos III is a graduate of La Consolacion College Bacolod and works at an architectural design firm in Bacolod.
What Goes Around, Comes Around, 2023 by Megumi Miura. The power of the unconscious mind in a dreamy state can take us to places beyond space and time; it can ignite a spark to succeed against all odds and do better. Dream on!
Known for her murals, art toys, and Russian dolls, Miura, born and raised in Yamagata, Japan, was brought back to Bacolod by her Filipino mother as a rebellious teenager. It was in Bacolod, Miura says, where she found her own self and where she started her path to artmaking.
The Neverending Folklore, 2026 by Barry Cervantes. Superheroes everywhere, we simply adore. The fight against evil is never ending; evil humans exist, that’s reality, not folklore.
Cervantes (b. 1977) is a fine arts graduate of La Consolacion College Bacolod. He was a finalist in the ASEAN Graphic Arts Competition and Exhibition, 2020, Vietnam and Grand Prize Winner, 2013 Multiversity Comics “20 Years of Hellboy” Art Contest
The Ruins of War, 2026. Using plywood, Jovito Hecita Jr (b. 1969) constructs the face of destruction in contemporary wars, and pays tribute to the suffering people caught in between.
A painter and sculptor, Hecita went to Carlos Hilado Memorial State College for a degree in industrial technology. He was among the 50 finalists of the Philippine Art Awards in 1999; and one of the 10 Visayas finalists for the same competition in 2000.
The Party Animals AKA Ang Salo-salo ng Mga Animal! (Bantay Salakay Series) , 2026 by R.A.Tijing (b. 1980). Described as a self-taught “pop-surreal artist” and a toy designer, Tijing studied electronics and communication engineering and interdisciplinary studies at the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod. In 2009, he decided to pursue his art practice.
Dissociato A Notis (Disconnection from the Unknown), 2026 by Kyle Jocson depicts a fertile mind and the human will as an impetus for change since ancient time.
Born in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, Jocson has been selected recently as an artist-in-residence in Tagpuan Art Atelier, Alfonso, Cavite.
Oil-painted terracotta, Maalaala Mo Kaya?, 2026 by Susanito P. Sarnate portrays a tableau on power/powerlessness. A blubbery buffoon lording over a poor couple with cash envelopes marked precinct X scattered on his feet. Behind him is a bayong-covered sidekick (reminiscent of the pro-Japanese Makapili during World War 2) with bags and bags of cash. It is part of the expected largesse of the powers-that-be, why is this so familiar?
Sarnate of La Carlota, Negros Occidental is known for his miniature terracotta sculpture. He also uses wood, bamboo, glass, cloth, and tin to create detailed images.
He was both the grand winner in the 2007 Open Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition in Dumaguete City and the 2001 Pasalamat Festival in La Carlota; his works were declared as the best entries in the 2003 Panaad sa Negros Festival.
Other sculptures include Walay Majay, 2025 by Elwah Gonzales, a sculpture of broken glass on broken glass; Untitled, 2026 by Totc Co, a horse made of metal bearings and other metal parts.
Negros Creative Corner: a dedicated creative space inside a mall that opened last May 15, 2026 with its first exhibit titled Panulok, featuring works of Negrense artists and organized by Orange Project.
Orange Project: a pioneering artist-run contemporary art space and creative hub in Bacolod City, cofounded by visual artist Charlie Co and businessman Bong Lopue III.