Jaime de Guzman, "Sabbath of the Witches", oil on canvas, 1970
How to encapsulate a pivotal decade in our recent history? Recollection 1081: Clear and Present Danger (Visual Dissent on Martial Rule), the exhibit now on view at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, attempts to capture the climate of protest under Martial Law. Not an easy exercise given the broad timeline and the complex issues that marked that period, from 1972 to 1981. Continue reading
Roberto Chabet, "PIERO", 1999
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) throbbed with activity when I arrived Saturday morning. Even if I did beat the crowds who would come later for Mamma Mia’s matinee, an activity in the Little Theater, plus Cinemalaya auditions, meant more groups of people than usual milled about the basement and the fourth floor. In the third floor, however, the usual quiet reigned over Pasilyo Guillermo Tolentino and Bulwagang Juan Luna, the main gallery, where the bulk of the pieces for Roberto Chabet’s To Be Continued had been installed. Continue reading
At first I was inclined to dismiss the debate as a tempest in a teapot. But when my favorite daily read (www.artdaily.com) carried the story of the furor over Mideo Cruz’s piece, Poleteismo, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, I thought I had better make time to see for myself what the fuss was about. I admit, I had no plans to drive down to view Kulô, a group exhibit of UST alumni, during the show’s run. From photos I had seen of its opening night, I figured that majority of the artists who participated in the show chose to submit old works, most of them I had already seen before. But with the issue of blasphemy vs. artistic freedom dominating the headlines and television news programs, how can any observer of the Manila art scene not take a stand?
Neil Arvin Javier, "It Was So Good", mixed media (collage), 153x183 cm
Alrashdi S. Mohammad, "Expand" and "Active", mixed media, 183x137 cm
With the CCP not exactly in my neighborhood, I debated whether I had the time to swing by Implode, a special exhibit of selected alumni from the Technological University of Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts. Luckily, my schedule cooperated, as did the traffic lights on EDSA, and I found myself in the CCP’s third floor gallery in half an hour, right before the show opened. Best of all, save for the artists busy with their last minute arrangements, I had the space all to myself. Continue reading
Victorio Edades, The Builders, 1928
What a pleasure to drive down to the bay area on Sunday afternoons, when Manila’s streets decongest of jeepneys, buses, FXs, and
Solomon Saprid, Penitensiya
pedestrians. What a treat to check out the Cultural Center of the Philippines, an unheralded venue of contemporary exhibits, usually by young visual artists. What a thrill to head down specifically to catch Suddenly Turning Visible: The Collection at The Center. Continue reading