Vanitas paintings were once a common art style in the Netherlands of the 16th and 17th centuries. These paintings juxtaposed symbols of wealth, power, and worldly pleasures with symbols of death, as a reminder of the transience of life and the futility of earthly possessions.

In this group show featuring work by Michael Villahermosa Froilan, Randolf Novis, Arian Trijo, and CJ Mabenta, the artists deftly navigate the fundamental nature of mortality and the temporality of earthly life, much like the paintings from which the show takes its name from.

Michael V. Froilan is a visual artist based in Manila. In 2016, he was a finalist in the Maningning Miclat Painting Art Competition, the Shell National Student Art Competition, and the GSIS National On-The-Spot Painting Contest. He won the grand prize in the Petron National Student Art Competition in 2011.

Randolf Karl B. Novis is a visual artist from Manila. He is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Commuication) program of the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. In 2016, he was a finalist at the Shell National Art Competition.

Christian Jane Maglente is a visual artist based in Quezon City. He is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) program of the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. In 2016, he received the grand prize for his water-based works in the Vision Petron Art national art competition. He was also 1st Class Honour in the International Year of Biodiversity Art and Design Competition in Hong Kong.

Adrian Philip D. Trijo is a visual artist from Manila with a Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Painting from the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. In 2014, he participated in the 47th Shell Student Art Competition as well as the Vision Petron National Art Competition. He was a finalist in the CEMEX Painting Competition in 2015 and the MACC Painting Competition in 2016. He was also a semi-finalist in the Metrobank Arts and Design Excellence awards.