Neil Pasilan at Leon Gallery International
Introduction Neil Pasilan's solo exhibition presents a focused investigation into the expressive capacities of works on paper, centered on water-resist drawing and punctuated by heavy oil pastel renderings. The show stages a sustained dialogue between material process and figuration, assembling serial studies and larger compositions that treat paper as an active site of inquiry. This essay offers a streamlined critical reading of the exhibition, emphasizing technique, formal strategies, thematic concerns, and installation choices while foregrounding the ethereal effects achieved through oil pastel interventions. --- Materials and Techniques Water-Resist Drawing Pasilan's primary method is water-resist drawing, a technique that foregrounds the tension between preservation and saturation. Masking fluids or wax reserves protect areas of paper, producing luminous highlights that counterpoint dense washes and ink. This interplay of subtraction and application y...