(b. 1981) contemporary artist Frelan Gonzaga focuses on those living on the fringes of Philippine society. He elaborates on values he believes are essential—hard work, faith, and hope. Born in Bacolod City. He learned the technical skills needed to be a photographer and then taught himself to be a painter when he first met his wife in 2003. Since then, he has held seven solo shows in Negros and Manila; namely “Tindak” in 2013 at Gallery Orange (Bacolod City), “Normal Abnormal” in 2014 at Ysobel Art Gallery (Taguig City), “Immortal Mortal” in 2016 at HOF House of Frida (Bacolod City), “Of Reality and Dreams” in 2017 at Gallery Orange (Bacolod City), “Private Spaces” in 2019 at Secret Fresh Gallery (San Juan, Manila), “InterConnected” in 2020 at Secret Fresh Gallery (San Juan, Manila), and “Concurrent: Traversing Place and Time” in 2022 at Block17 Art Space (Bacolod City). Since deciding on an artistic career change in 2008, he has participated in over 70 group shows in Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Prague, Italy, and Kuala Lumpur. In 2014, he was invited to join a month-long art residency program in Kuala Lumpur under the House of Matahati