Before he started exhibiting again in the middle of 2011, Jigger Cruz, now 27, decided to stop painting for a year. He felt frustrated at his lack of commercial success. This despite earning approval from critics impressed enough with his skill to get him into the finals of competitions like Metrobank’s (2003) and Philip Morris’ (2006). Continue reading
Jigger Cruz, "Dead End", detail
Between awaiting this upgraded site and attending to a ton of work, September just whizzed by me. Manila’s art scene yielded some incredible shows. While I did get the chance to catch most of them, I couldn’t find the time to sit down and write. For posterity’s sake, I thought I’d document them here anyway. Here are September 2011’s highlights: Continue reading
Albert Oehlen, "Wandbild"
First, graffiti in a museum. Now, tattoos in a gallery. Witness as Bad Boy art turns legit, and Manila’s welcoming response to this development. A show that carries a title as provocative as Painting With A Hammer To Nail The Crotch of Civilization with artist Manuel Ocampo as the curator is bound to draw in the art scene denizens. Throw in work by his colleagues, the likes of international art superstars like Albert Oehlen, plus free tattoo sessions on selected days of the show’s run, then you even get the dwellers of the alternative art scene to trek to Makati.
Manuel Ocampo mural