In A Painting for a Grid, Jan Balquin explores the often-overlooked structural elements of painting by bringing the foundational grid—usually hidden beneath the surface—into full view. She constructs a physical grid, stretches canvas over it, and lets the grid’s form dictate the final shape of the artwork. Through this process, she creates a sculptural image that challenges traditional ideas of what a painting should be. By foregrounding the grid, Balquin emphasizes its essential role in composition while blurring the lines between painting and sculpture. She invites viewers to question conventional definitions and reconsider the intersections between these two art forms.

About the Artist:

Jan Balquin, a contemporary Filipino visual artist born in 1989 in Quezon City, creates multidisciplinary works that include painting, sculpture, and collage. She actively explores themes of materiality, value, and the mundane. She challenges the boundaries between art and everyday life, questioning how we assign value and meaning to ordinary objects. Through her innovative use of materials and forms, she encourages viewers to rethink the familiar and discover significance in the overlooked details of daily life.