Borrowing the title from an expression that stands for slow and steady yet unstoppable progress, Drop By Drop continues the artist’s subtle but focused and persistent development of his practice.

The reintroduction of some older concepts is accompanied by new traits of the big-eyed subjects. The new haircuts, depiction of dynamic movements, or use of a refined approach to create the volume as well as light and play effect, are all mimicking the life dynamics within his practice. “It’s like taking a different path to arrive at the same place,” the artist explains, revealing the poetry behind these appealing visuals. And such a poetic approach to referencing reality infuses the continuous development of Calleja’s universe. From iconic characters, over their natural surroundings, its fauna (also referencing the previous presentation with the gallery), all the way to the ambiance set by the textual elements in the work. Purposely bleak, tragi-comic, or even nonsensical, and in stark contrast with aforementioned invigorated visuals, these simple yet intriguing quotes are meant to spark the magic of imagination. Once again putting the viewer in a fictitious spotlight, the combination of the two elements constructs a tension that opens doors for a multitude of readings of both the individual pieces and the body of work as a whole.