The exhibit’s title did puzzle me, but it should have clued me in. Clint Eastwood in Hats On, Bottoms Off shows works inspired by Westerns—the cowboys and Indians variety, an odd, unexpected choice of concepts. But a chat with artist Allan Balisi, who had thought this up with Cos Zicarelli, revealed that there is nothing more to this than a bunch of cowboy movie enthusiasts getting together to produce work. Everyone in the group was game enough to stick to the plan.
Mariano Ching showed more of his pyrographs on wood, a series of small-scale works with detailed images in miniature. I especially marveled at the two pieces of found twigs that he worked on. Dex Fernandez’s Date With A Bandit, two figures cut from carton, painted and adorned with actual t-shirts, gave the old fashioned shoot out some urban edge. Sam Kiyoumarsi presented another of his pithy photographs, Mum, that of an
emaciated mare feeding on grass alongside her colt. Cos Zicarelli chose to exhibit his drawing on an actual cow skull.
Tatong Recheta Torres paints again! Outcast is a portrait of a Native American with a lone feather on his head. I admit the subject does not interest me, but his execution, monochromatic gray in fine strokes, cannot be faulted. Check out the lines on the man’s
face. I don’t know how his Second Life stint has affected him otherwise, but his painting skills obviously remain intact.
Other artists in the show: Dina Gadia, Mica Cabildo, Mark Salvatus, Wesley Valenzuela, Wawi Navarroza, Jonathan Ching, and Charles Buenconsejo.
Clint Eastwood in Hats On, Bottoms Off runs from 7 to 28 July 2011 at Blanc Compound, 359 Shaw Boulevard Interior, Mandaluyong City. Phone (63920) 9276436 or visit http://www.blanc.ph