Jonathan Ching

b. 1969

Painting

Lives and works in Manila, Philippines. A painter who came to art from civil engineering, he renders chairs, tables and offertory flowers in thick impasto oils, watching how objects shift meaning once removed from their original context. From 1998 to 2004 he was a founding member of the arts collective Surrounded By Water, which ran an artist-run space. His 2023 solo exhibition "Sitting Room" at Silverlens took its starting point from lines by the Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa.

Career

- Born 1969 in Dagupan, Pangasinan; lives and works in Manila - Education: BS Civil Engineering, De La Salle University Manila (1991) / Visual Communication, College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines Diliman (entered 1993; 1997) - Founding member of the arts collective Surrounded By Water, which ran an artist-run space (1998–2004) - Selected solo exhibitions: first solo show, West Gallery (2008) / "Sitting Room," Silverlens, Manila (Aug 24 – Sep 23, 2023) - Fairs: Art Fair Philippines 2024 — Silverlens booth ("Blue Dog," "Enchanted Travellers 1") / solo project "They Think We Still Grant Wishes," BPI Presents ArtFairPH/Projects - Recent: "Selected Works," West Gallery (Dec 19, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026) - Japan: "Sitting Room" (2023) referenced lines by poet Shuntaro Tanikawa (in English translation)