The 7 Chronicles of Madness at Vinyl on Vinyl

Ramona dela Cruz-Gaston and Froilan Calayag, "The Mad Calendar", oil on canvas, 7ft x 7ft

Now and again, I find myself swinging by Vinyl on Vinyl. I first dropped by their space at The Collective some two years ago when I saw a group of young illustrators, among them Dex Fernandez and Zeus Bascon, hanging work for an exhibit. Owners Gaby dela Merced and Pia Reyes were only too welcoming, happily clueing me in on Manila’s then still new (at least to me) craze for collecting designer toys.

I still have not hitched on to the toys bandwagon, but Vinyl on Vinyl’s casual vibe has kept me coming back. While primarily an outlet for trading vinyl collectibles (hence the outfit’s name), they also support local artists who practice below the radar of the more established galleries, those who share Gaby and Pia’s pop/ street art/ lowbrow inclinations. They have hosted a few high-profile international names. Tara Macpherson, for instance, has exhibited twice; the second time even merited an ancillary talk at the Vargas Museum. On the whole, though, the works you find here are raw and fresh, some tentative attempts that echo the well-known graffitti artists, but more of earnest, non-commercial efforts.

When I passed by last week, much too early in the evening for the usual crowds (which peak after midnight on weekends), the paintings of Froilan Calayag and Ramona dela Cruz-Gaston for The 7 Chronicles of Madness filled the gallery’s walls. While I have seen Froilan’s work before, this was my first brush with Ms. Gaston’s. Froi paints fantastic critters in make-believe environments. Ramona bases her work on the symmetry of the mandala.

The most eye-catching piece is a 7 ft. x 7 ft. joint effort, The Mad Calendar, the result of both artists practically living together for three months. The oil on canvas work reflects the Mayan Calendar, which predicted the world’s end by 2012. On a black background, four circular layers brim with figures, colorfully painted so close together. You can’t even tell which artists painted what. It’s the sort of piece where something new pops out at each viewing.

The exhibit had already been up a few weeks by the time I got to see it. Gaby and Pia may have started preparations on a new show by now. Still, I thought it worth posting, just to illustrate the type of art that keeps Vinyl on Vinyl off the mainstream path.

The 7 Chronicles of Madness runs from 30 June 2012 at Vinyl on Vinyl, Unit H, The Collective, 7274 Malugay St., Makati City. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/vinylonvinyl or http://www.vinylonvinyl.blogspot.com/