Rather than a single fixed image, Roxas crafts detailed scenes that change with every angle.
A painting usually stays the same regardless of where you stand. But Filipino visual artist Kirby Roxas is challenging that idea with artworks that seemingly transform before the viewer’s eyes.
In “Paradigm Shift,” an exhibition presented by Tin-aw Art Projects in collaboration with gallery. sort of., Roxas introduces a collection of paintings that reveal different images depending on the angle from which they are viewed.
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The secret lies in his distinctive approach to lenticular painting, a technique inspired by flip pictures and motion cards. Instead of presenting a single fixed image, Roxas creates intricate compositions that shift as spectators move from one side to another.
What makes the works particularly fascinating is that even their elaborate painted frames appear to transform, creating an experience in which both the artwork and its surroundings seem to change.
Three paintings in one
Achieving this illusion requires extraordinary patience. Roxas paints different landscapes at least three times to produce a single artwork, carefully arranging the compositions to create the shifting visual effect.
His most ambitious piece, “Shifting Days,” takes the technique to another level. Standing six feet tall, the monumental work features 12 framed panels depicting humanity’s relationship with nature and the changing seasons of the Earth.
The piece represents an enormous undertaking, combining technical precision with an exploration of time, nature, and human perception.
Beyond their visual novelty, the paintings carry a philosophical message: what people see and understand often depends on where they stand. A slight change in perspective can reveal an entirely different picture.
An accomplished Filipino artist
Born in Manila in 1977, Roxas earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Far Eastern University and pursued art history studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
His achievements include second place in the oil painting category of the 2006 Metrobank Art and Design Excellence competition, recognition as a national finalist in the 2007 Philippine Art Awards, and a Juror’s Award of Excellence in 2008.
He is also a faculty member at the Technological University of the Philippines in Manila.
The exhibition brings together two art platforms committed to contemporary artistic expression. Established in 2008, Tin-aw shifted to a mobile art projects model in 2020, while Quezon City-based gallery. sort of., founded in 2021, champions emerging and underrepresented artists.
With “Paradigm Shift,” Roxas demonstrates that a painting does not necessarily have to move to create movement. Sometimes, all it takes is for the viewer to change position.
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