Ralph Pugay

Ralph Pugay’s art revels in raucous tension, transforming the everyday through a blend of humor and discomfort that pushes familiar scenes into strange, disarming territory. Influenced by religious iconography, non-Western pictorial traditions, and the frenetic worlds of internet culture, comics, and video games, his brightly colored, playful paintings turn recognizable scenarios into fractured reflections of contemporary life. Drawing from his experiences as an immigrant and queer artist, Pugay layers daydreams with keen observations to create tableaus that provoke fresh perspectives on belonging, identity, and normativity, wielding a sharp wit that both unsettles and provokes reflection.

Ralph Pugay (b. 1983 in Cavite, Philippines; based in Portland, OR) holds a BA and MFA in Contemporary Art Practice from Portland State University. He has exhibited in solo and group shows nationwide, at venues including Adams & Ollman (Portland, OR), Cristin Tierney (New York, NY), AA|LA (Los Angeles, CA), Vox Populi (Philadelphia, PA), Seattle Art Museum, Salt Lake Art Center, Marinaro (New York, NY), and Ditch Projects (Eugene, OR), among others.

Pugay’s residency experiences include Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (Madison, ME), the Rauschenberg Residency (Captiva Island, FL), the Joan Mitchell Center (New Orleans, LA), Crow's Shadow Golden Spot Residency Program (Pendleton, OR), and Creative Exchange Lab at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art. His work has earned him awards including the Ford Family Foundation Rauschenberg Fellowship, the Betty Bowen Award, an Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship, and a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Award.