When most people think of fine art, they envision paintbrushes, canvases, or perhaps clay sculptures. Few immediately consider paper as anything more than a surface to receive ink or paint. Yet in the hands of artists like Cebu-based artist Gerlynnia Galgo, it’s within this overlooked medium that she has found her voice.
Art remains my sanctuary, my outlet and my sense of peace in this fast-paced world.
GERLYNNIA GALGO
BRAND DESIGNER AND VISUAL ARTIST
Gerlynnia transforms simple sheets of paper into complex explorations of human identity, and this is beautifully showcased in her first-ever solo exhibition, “Introspection.”
About the Artist
Gerlynnia Galgo is a designer and an up-and-coming visual artist based in Cebu, Philippines. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Product Design from the University of the Philippines Cebu in 2015. Alongside her creative practice, she works full-time as a Graphic Designer in an advertising agency and runs her own creative studio, GO Creatives.
“Art has a way of catching you when life feels a little too fast, a little too much,” she reflects. “It anchors you, holds your hand, and gives you space to breathe.” she shared in an exclusive interview with CDN Digital. From a young age, Gerlynnia gravitated toward the arts. Whether it was joining poster-making contests or leading school projects, creativity became her language of comfort and curiosity. Her early college years were filled with watercolor paintings, florals, cityscapes, and built environments. But it wasn’t until life took a dramatic turn that her artistic direction began to transform.
The road she’s taken
Her creative journey took an unexpected detour. She worked as a paramedic, an experience that would profoundly influence her artistic perspective. “During my daily runs as a paramedic, I witnessed people from all walks of life in their most vulnerable states,” Galgo shares. “That constant exposure to the fragility of the human body and the rawness of human emotion deeply influenced how I see and portray subjects.” This unique background led her to explore themes of anatomy, vulnerability, and shared human experiences through her art.
When former college friends invited her to participate in a group exhibition, Galgo had already begun experimenting with paper cutting, a medium she initially chose out of practicality. “I couldn’t always afford paints and other traditional materials,” she admits. “Paper was accessible, and I started cutting just for fun. Over time, that playful experimentation evolved into a more meaningful, expressive practice.”
Her vision in form
Papercutting became more than a creative outlet, it was a meditative practice that allowed her to explore themes of grief, healing, and identity. The fragility of paper mirrored the fragility of life, while its potential for transformation echoed the resilience she saw in others and within herself.
Photo by The Tea & Gallery and Niko Blanco
Her latest exhibition, titled “Introspection”, marks a significant personal and artistic milestone. Her first mini solo show, Introspection delves into the evolving nature of identity and the layers that make us who we are. “It’s about looking inward and understanding the layers that make us whole. It’s about honoring our shadows, piecing together our past, and embracing the light of transformation.” Gerlynnia explained.
Presented as a celebration of turning 30, her show serves as both retrospective and celebration. “I wanted to have a solo exhibit to celebrate life,” Galgo reflects. “It’s a big moment for me, not just because of the age, but because of everything I’ve been through over the years—as an artist, a designer, and someone who used to work as a paramedic.”
What’s next for her creative journey?
Today, Gerlynnia balances her artistic pursuits with her professional career as a full-time Graphic Designer at an advertising agency while also running a small creative studio called GO Creatives. Despite her busy schedule, art remains her sanctuary “my outlet and my sense of peace in this fast-paced world,” as she describes it.
Looking ahead, she plans to expand her artistic horizons by creating larger pieces and pushing the boundaries of paper as a medium. “I’m also excited to experiment with other techniques like printing and cyanotype, basically exploring new ways to showcase the depth and complexity of paper as a material,” she reveals.
Through her delicate yet powerful paper cuts, Gerlynnia Galgo invites viewers to reflect on their own layers of identity and experience, a fitting tribute to the complexity of life as seen through the eyes of someone who has witnessed both its fragility and resilience firsthand.
For those interested in experiencing her art with meticulous craftsmanship and conceptual depth, the exhibition catalog for “Introspection” is available online. It can also be viewed in person at The Tea and Gallery Cebu, located on the 3rd floor of Mango Square Mall, from April 5, 2025 until May 2, 2025 only.
