Artist Jun Gueco Cruz Welcomed to Cairn’s Eastburn Gallery

Update: Display extended through October 30, 2020. 

For the Spring 2020 semester, Arts at Cairn welcomes the work of Jun Gueco Cruz to the Connie A. Eastburn Gallery. Like much of his art, this exhibition entitled Elioenai (Toward God are Mine Eyes) focuses on the “science of life” through massive depictions of cellular processes and human anatomy. As an artist and practicing healthcare provider, Cruz merges his spiritual walk with medical science into biomorphic—defined as “life transformation”—expressions.
Jun Gueco Cruz was born in Angeles City, Philippines. Heavily influenced by his indigenous Kapampangan identity, Cruz seeks to express the cultural ideals of “planting seeds” and “bringing life out of the soil” in his visual art. His works have received several prestigious awards and were displayed in venues like the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the GSIS Museum. Additionally, Cruz is a part of the Pampanga Arts Guild and Christians In the Visual Arts (CIVA) organization.
Elioenai depicts life processes on the cellular level, which, for Cruz, “evoke in me a constant reminder of personal journeys.” Viewing these unseen processes artistically reveals the transformative nature of ordinary biology. “I see my own experience in things like an EKG tracing the electrical activity of the human heart,” Cruz explains. “Through these [biomorphic] forms, I am able to convey my journey of transformation by accepting Christ Jesus and the hope that comes with it.” Ultimately, Cruz sums up his artistic process as such: “In viewing my art, one peers at things that usually go unseen.”
Cruz’s work will be on display and available for purchase in the Eastburn Gallery from January 17 to May 8, 2020. Gallery hours are Monday–Saturday from 8:30 am–4:30 pm. If you are interested in purchasing a piece or organizing a tour for your church, school, or homeschool group, contact the Gallery Collection Curator, Matt Stemler, at [email protected].