Layered Identities
22-05-2026 | Opera Gallery Singapore | Singapore
The exhibition brings together a new series of monumental portraits that explore identity as a shifting, layered construct within an increasingly interconnected world.
‘Layered Identities’ reflects on how personal identity is shaped by culture, history, and environment. In this new series, devoted exclusively to female subjects, Cabellut examines the relationship between the inner self and the image we present to the world. The works invite viewers to look beyond the surface and consider identity not as fixed, but as an evolving accumulation of experiences, histories, and emotional traces.
Each painting unfolds like a visual excavation, animated by sweeping gestures and vivid bursts of colour. Marian II (2026) exemplifies Cabellut’s signature fusion of classical portraiture with gestural abstraction and material experimentation. A female face emerges from layered marks in pigments ranging from deep reds to muted beige, evoking the weathered beauty of a Renaissance fresco. The subject’s poised gaze becomes a point of entry, drawing viewers into the shifting boundary between figuration and abstraction.
The power of the gaze lies at the heart of the exhibition, with the subject in each portrait confronting, and sometimes eluding, the viewer. Some return a steady, penetrating look; others appear caught in moments of transformation and quiet reflection. This tension between revelation and concealment heightens the emotional complexity that defines Cabellut’s work.
“By disrupting the surface of the face with gestural force and calligraphic markings, Cabellut reveals identity as a living archive of our encounters with the world. These portraits speak to the modern global citizen—complex, fragmented, and resilient,” said Irene Chee, Advisor at Opera Gallery Singapore.
