- Abe Orobia

Eleazar Abraham ’Abe’ L. Orobia or Abe Orobia in the industry is the TOYM 2021 (The Oustanding Young Men of the Philippines) Honoree for Education, Arts and Culture, is a multi-awarded artist, educator, curator, and a cultural advocate. Abe Orobia currently is a College Lecturer in Dela Salle College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts and held the same position at University of Santo Tomas’ College of Fine Arts and Design from 2008-2012 where he was a recipient of SanTomas Award for Best Practitioners for two consecutive years. Among his notable awards besides TOYM is Parangal ng Bayan in 1995 held at Malacañang Palace. In 2018 Orobia worked as the head facilitator of Art Workshops for Indigenous People (IP) Elementary teachers from different parts of the Philippines. He also created a bas relief mural of the Basi Revolt in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur. In 2017, Orobia was one of the five artists who worked on a mural re-interpretation of the famous Bahay Nakpil-Bautista. All proceeds were donated for the historical site’s reconstruction and preservation.

In 2021, Abe held a solo show at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts titled ’IMAGES OF OUR NATION’ inspired by the situations at the height of the pandemic using crumpled paper as symbolism for human spirit. Orobia championed the following through ink drawing and poetry: the plight of medical workers, food supply through agriculture and aquaculture, OFWs, maritime disputes, faith and resiliency in crises, and the effects of community pantry. His latest solo exhibition ’UNCONQUERABLE’ (Turn! Turn! Turn!) at the Pinto Art Museum (2023) highlights time and nature encompassing everything, yet it is the strength of the human spirit that is truly insuperable as symbolized by crumpled papers. Alternatively, Orobia uses brass and aluminum sheets from discarded tube paints that he shapes in the same manner as the crumpled papers. It represents various things enveloping nature such as fireflies in the woods as metaphor for inner light and resilience and blessings if draped over the skies.

Notably, Abe Orobia is also a constant workshop facilitator at the Ayala Museum since 2013 where his latest conducted was the reproduction of Juan Luna’s ’Hymen o Hymeneé!’