Some ideas and expectations are so deeply rooted in our culture, that we are largely unaware of them at a conscious level, until some unanticipated stimulus triggers an abrupt reassessment of their veracity. Ralph Pugay paints humorous narratives fixated on topics of anxiety, confusion, and misguided certainty. His work portrays the collapse of cognitive utterances, responding to a plethora of contemporary concerns, both personal and social. Pugay’s work covers a wide range of existential topics, embodying questions about morality, truth and authenticity, meaning-making, etc.

Born in the Philippines, Ralph Pugay is an artist living and working in Portland, OR. His work has been exhibited at venues including Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond VA), Grounds for Sculpture (Hamilton NJ), Salt Lake Art Center (Salt Lake City UT), The TBA Time-Based Arts Festival (Portland OR), Rocksbox Contemporary Fine Art (Portland OR), Ditch Projects (Springfield OR), Webb Art Gallery (Waxahachie TX), FFDG (San Francisco CA), Center on Contemporary Art (Seattle WA), New American Paintings Exhibition-in-Print, and Rhode Island School of Design (Providence RI). Writings about his work have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Beautiful Decay. He is a recipient of grants and awards from institutions such as the Joan Mitchell Foundation, International Sculpture Center, and Regional Arts and Culture Council. He earned his MFA in Contemporary Studio Practice from Portland State University in 2010 and was a resident at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2013.