Mariano Ching

• Name — Mariano Ching • Field — Painting, illustration, and photography • Training — University of the Philippines Diliman (1993–1998), Kyoto University (2002–2004) • Works — May Alaga Akong Puno (1998), Bakit Matagal ang Sundo Ko (2001) • Spouse — Yasmin Sison-Ching • Awards — 1998 Alcala Illustrators' Prize, 2001 Alcala Illustrators' Prize, CCP Thirteen Artist Award

Mariano's first experience with art was at four years old, when a cousin taught him how to draw simple shapes. He and his brother, Jonathan Ching, who would also grow up to become an artist, spent most of their time inside drawing instead of playing outside. Mariano was greatly influenced by the anime Mazinger Z and Voltes V which were widely popular during his youth. They would significantly affect his future works. In his high school years, his parents reminded him to think carefully about his future career. They said there was no money in art and that he should consider a career in medicine or engineering instead and make art as a hobby. Despite his parents' constant reminder, Mariano eventually pursued the road towards becoming an artist. While he was an engineering student at the University of the Philippines, Mariano also enrolled in a lot of art workshops to hone his skills. One of these workshops proved to be a turning point. He was on his fourth year in engineering when he attended an art workshop headed by Elemer Borogan and Gina Morales. The art style of the paintings so touched him that he decided to shift to painting as his major. During his years in University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, he co-founded the art group Surrounded by Water. There, he met his future wife, Yasmin Sison, who was also a member of Surrounded by Water. At that time Mariano was still relatively new at the art scene and had not yet garnered recognition. In 1998, Mariano won his first major award. His illustration work for the book entitled Mayroon Akong Alagang Puno won the Alcala Illustrators' Prize, the grand prize awarded by the Philippine Board on Books For Young People (PBBY), a nonprofit and non-governmental organization committed to the development of children's literature in the Philippines. The award included a cash prize of P25,000.00, a gold medal, and an opportunity for the book to be published. In 2001, he won the award again with the book entitled Bakit Matagal ang Sundo Ko?. [right side table style with following input lower part] Cover Illustration for Bakit Matagal ang Sundo Ko?" 2001. {insert} photo} In 2002, he won the Monbusho Scholarship. The Monbusho scholarship is given to foreigners under the Japanese government to study in Japan. He became a grant awardee as a research student in Kyoto University. He majored in printmaking, specializing in Japanese woodblock printmaking. In 2006, Mariano Ching received the Thirteen Artist Award given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

The art group Surrounded by Water was founded by Wire Tuazon. The group was named "Surrounded by Water" after the first gallery that was held in Angono, Rizal. Its concept is based on Neo-Angono. The group moved the Surrounded by Water gallery to Mandaluyong. They established a concept that is based on emerging and experimental art in and around Manila. They exhibited art that is not regularly shown in galleries and there were few galleries that took in emerging young artists.

1. Wire Tuazon 2. Keiye Tuazon 3. Mariano Ching 4. Yasmin Sison 5. Jonathan Ching 5. Geraldine Javier 7. Lena Cobangbang 8. Jason Oliveria 9. Louie Cordero 10. Eduardo Enriquez 11. Amiel Roldan 12. Mike Munoz 13. Cristina Dy

• Date — Name — Group — Place • 1999 — Banana Float — Surrounded by Water — Angono, Rizal • 1999 — Bed Time Stories — Surrounded by Water — Pasig • 2000 — Rubber Soul — British Council — Pasig • 2000 — Standing Still — Surrounded by Water — Pasig • 2001 — Landscape — Surrounded by Water — Pasig • 2001 — Between the Stars and the Sea — Voice Gallery — Kyoto, Japan • 2006 — Tao Gama (Gama Men) — West Gallery — Quezon City • 2006 — Between the Stars and the Sea — Magnet Gallery — Makati City

• Date — Name — Group — Place • 1996 — Paintings by Numbers — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 1996 — Brain School for Babies — U.P. Faculty Center Galleries — Diliman, Quezon City • 1996 — Delatang Pinoy: Yes, the Filipino Can! — Hiraya Gallery — U.N. Avenue, Manila • 1996 — Picture Show — Dominador Castaneda Hall — U.P Diliman, Quezon City • 1996 — New Territory — U.P. Faculty Center Galleries — U.P. Diliman, Quezon City • 1996 — Mula Filibustero Hanggang Kay Marimar — Jorge Vargas Museum — U.P Diliman, Quezon City • 1996 — Japan — Asia Print Art Exhibition — Fukuoka, Japan • 1996 — Alicia on My Mind — Hiraya Gallery — U.N. Avenue, Manila • 1997 — Four Expressions: City Boy's Lust for Life — Hiraya Gallery — U.N. Avenue, Manila • 1998 — Bakat — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 1998 — Inaugural Exhibition — Surrounded by Water — Angono, Rizal • 1998 — Reprint — Australia Center, Australian Embassy, Makati City • 1998 — X-Prints — Jorge Vargas Museum — U.P. Diliman, Quezon City • 1998 — No Preservatives — Surrounded by Water — Angono, Rizal • 1998 — Songs of Renewal — Casa San Miguel — San Antonio, Zambales • 1998 — Dog Show — Surrounded by Water — Angono, Rizal • 1998 — Crossroads (terminal baggage) — Australia Center, Australian Embassy, Makati City • 1999 — Vision 21 — Jorge Vargas Museum — U.P. Diliman, Quezon City • 1999 — Coordinates — Boston Gallery — Quezon City • 1999 — Daily Planet — Surrounded by Water — Ortigas • 1999 — Dog Show — Surrounded by Water — Ortigas and Angono, Rizal • 1999 — Today's Show — Surrounded by Water — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 1999 — Cracks and Abyss — Art Center, Mandaluyong • 1999 — Topology of Signs — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 2000 — Into the Rabbit Hole — Surrounded by Water — Ortigas • 2000 — Conspiracy Theory — Surrounded by Water — Ortigas • 2000 — Grand Royale — Big Sky Mind — Quezon City • 2000 — Dog show — Surrounded by Water — Ortigas • 2000 — True Confession — Art Center, Mandaluyong • Fifth Mondial Triennal of Small Size Prints — France • 2000 — Valentine Willie Fine Art — Kuala Lumpur • 2000 — Faith and the City — Earl Lu Gallery ABN AMRO House Valentine Willie Fine Art — Lasalle SIA College of Arts, Singapore Malaysia Kuala Lumpur • 2001 — Surrounded — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 2001 — Cool Pieties — Art Center, Mandaluyong • 2001 — If the Devil is 6, Then God is 7 — Rockwell Center, Makati City • 2002 — Feast of Conversation — Atelier Frank and Lee — Singapore • 2003 — Stay with Art — Hotel T Point — Osaka, Japan • 2005 — On Paper — Magnet Gallery — ABS, Quezon City • 2005 — SBW exhibit — Saguijo Gallery • 2005 — Fragile Youth with Artificial Legs — Saguijo Gallery • 2005 — Innocent When You Dream — Finale Gallery — Mandaluyong • 2006 — Post Modernism is so Last Season — Green Papaya Art Project • 2006 — The Way We Get By — West Gallery — Quezon City • 2006 — 13 Artists Award Exhibit — Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila • 2007 — Scab on My Brain — Space 1026 — Philadelphia, USA