Cedrick dela Paz confronts his 'Mid-Career Crisis'

How this artist deals with the tides of time in his latest exhibit

- By S. C. FOJAS

Cedrick dela Paz's exhibit showcases the life of an artist beyond the brushstrokes, its challenges, routines, and the evolving meaning of each painting.

The exhibit delves directly into the often-difficult point of an individual's career, where the initial spark of promise has matured into responsibilities, and the path forward is still being charted.

The very title, "Mid-Career Crisis," signals a pivotal moment many artists and even other individuals encounter. It is a "space where youthful uncertainty is no longer a valid excuse, and the expectations—internal and external—begin to mount." Cedrick's work does not shy away from these pressures. Instead, it lays them bare.

The unsettling black canvas and the relentless clock

Among the pieces in Cedrick's exhibit is "Blangko," where a seemingly untouched canvas becomes a powerful presence, embodying the artist's struggle to create something for his audience. Cedrick explains that the blank canvas isn't passive. Instead, it "imposes itself as a burden and a frame, visually suggesting that the artist and his work are one and the same." For him, facing this blank space is an encounter with "the limits of one's own drive, vision, and persistence." It's a visual representation of the creative block and internal questioning inherent in a mid-career reckoning.