Now this is my kind of group show. The concept is simple, and you don’t get overwhelmed by the range of pieces on view. Four
Pow Martinez, "Walking Corpse"
artists seem to be a good number for the venue, both to give each artist enough space to showcase their work, and for the viewer to take in the variety of styles present. Continue reading
Maria Jeona, detail, "Monogamist Kultur at Si Sexy at Maraming Stretchmarks at Malalaking Butas ng Ilong Long Long"
Early last week, I spent 14 hours straight in serious contemplation of art, and the better part of the next few days writing about it. Even I needed a break from the art overload. Enter Maria Jeona and her first solo show, mounted at SLab’s 20Square, the perfect antidote to all that cerebral activity. She gave me just what I needed to get back into the swing of Manila’s art scene after a (very brief!) hiatus. Continue reading
Mark Salvatus, detail, "Wrapped:Persona"
I made it a point to come in early for the opening reception of Attached, Mark Salvatus’ show at The Drawing Room. You appreciate Mark’s work by going through his process, the thinking that went behind the creation of his pieces. I wanted a chance to speak to him before the crowds made their appearance.
This show brings together various projects, components of a series he calls Wrapped. The work he exhibits here continue from work that he carried out in the various communities around the world where he spent time in art residency programs. To quote Lisa Chikiamco’s notes, “…these projects examine the ideas of presence through the imprints left behind.”
Mark Salvatus, detail, "Attached"
Attached is also the title of the exhibit’s main piece, the latest work in this series. Mark stationed himself in his downtown Manila neighborhood and asked random passers-by to trace possessions found on their person onto sheets of paper. He then filled these outlines with pencil patterns that make these objects appear to be swathed in bandages. Hence, “wrapped”. Mark cut out each person’s collection of “wrapped” objects and framed them in glass. In the show, we see the frames installed as vitrines lined up on the walls, one frame for each individual’s group of objects. You get diverted going through the vitrines and identifying the objects through their wrapped outlines (was that a set of keys or a lizard with a squiggly tail?).
Another detail from "Attached"
On the gallery’s main exhibit wall hangs Wrapped: Persona, a piece that includes some video element. Mark started work on this in 2007. He photographed individuals with their faces covered by a generic “wrapped” mask. Mark then made an approximation of the shapes of these individuals’ heads, “wrapped” these with his pencil patterns, and cut them out. He has dozens of these wrapped paper masks installed on the wall beside his video
Installation shot, "Attached"
screen.
Mark Salvatus makes my list of the most talented and intelligent artists working in Manila today. His strength comes out when he mounts pieces that have gone through a complete conceptual process. In other words, they don’t work as well in group shows where he is perhaps limited to doing wall-bound, more commercial pieces. He has brought his art to Europe, the Middle East, and to other parts of Asia. In May, he represented the collective TutoK at Melbourne’s Next Wave Festival. However, I do admit a bias towards his pieces produced from his immersion with inmates in the Manila City Jail, work shown in his exhibit Courtyard at Pablo last year. I also loved Secret Garden, his piece for the 2009 Sungduan at the National Musem, for which he has been shortlisted for this year’s Ateneo Art Awards. While I don’t find Attached as compelling as his previous exhibits, the works do prove the commitment he invests on his concepts. If you find the time to speak to him, as I did, you can’t but admire the steadfastness with which he regards his practice of art.
Installation shot, "Wrapped: Persona"
Attached runs from 26 June to 17 July 2010 at The Drawing Room Contemporary Art, 1007 Metropolitan Ave, Metrostar Bldg., Makati City. Phone (632) 897-7877 or visit http://www.drawingroomgallery.com or visit http://marksalvatus.blogspot.com
Video still from "Wrapped: Persona"
Attachees
Mark Salvatus
Alwin Reamillo, detail of "Mutya ng Pasig", one of his restored pianos
A friend of mine described it as an art lover’s show. And with good reason. Alwin Reamillo continues to channel his family’s involvement in local piano-making into art pieces, producing large and small wall-bound assemblages and three restored pianos. Clouds and Wings is a two-person exhibit with Juliet Lea, and aside from both artists’ individual works, they also show collaborative pieces.
Installation of four large-scale wings
It’s the first time that I’ve seen Manila Contemporary mount an exhibit without a cast of thousands. What a difference it makes when the space allows us viewers to enjoy an artist’s work in-depth. Although I am familiar with Alwin’s piano projects, and I know that the Singapore Art Museum acquired one of his pianos for its collection, I have not actually seen any of them before. Here he shows one grand piano inspired by Nicanor Abelardo, embellished with image transfers and found objects. He treats his wings in a similar vein, finishing these off with the gloss that you use on actual pianos. The wings take their name from the shape of the grand piano’s awning. He names four of the bigger ones after seasonal wind directions: Amianan, Katimugan, Kanluran, Sirangan.
Alwin Reamillo, "Katimugan (Southern Wing)"
I suppose I can safely say that both artists work a lot with image transfers. Although Juliet also exhibits a series of paintings on wood of mainly polka dot patterns. These remind me a bit too much of Yayoi Kusama’s work. I prefer her Cloud Books, charcoal cloud drawings on book paper. And I thought she did really beautiful work for Garden Of Delights, where she put her image transfers on printed fabric. Two other pieces on printed fabric were done in collaboration with Alwin. All these works on fabric spilled over with rich details that you won’t ever get tired of. Well, I wouldn’t.
Juliet Lea, " Nevada Enewotok Atoll Bikini Atoll Johnston Island" and "Maralinga Malden Isand Christmas Island"
I missed the piano performance on opening night, but I did catch the random playing that ensued the rest of the evening. The tinkling of the keys, the free-flowing wine, and hors d’oeuvres from Cibo’s adjacent commissary—not a bad way to spend the early part of a Saturday evening.
Clouds and Wings runs from 19 June to 11 July 2010 at Manila Contemporary, Whitespace, 2314 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City. Phone (632) 844-7328 or visit http://www.manilacontemporary.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSQF0FaZ5M
Alwin Reamillo, "Nicanor Abelardo Grand Piano"
Portrait of Nicanor Abelardo on the grand piano's soundboard
Another detail, grand piano
Alwin Reamillo, "Cloud Piano"
Juliet Lea, "Cloud Painting"
Juliet Lea, "Garden of Delights"
Juliet Lea and Alwin Reamillo, "Humayo Ka Satanas, sapagkat ito ay nakasulat, Wala kang ibang sasambahin kundi ang Panginoon Mong Diyos at tanging Siya lamang ang iyong paglilinkuran"
Alwin Remillo and Juliet Lea, detail of "Humayo Kayo at Magparami"
Alwin Reamillo, detail of "Mayon"
Alwin Reamillo, detail of "R+J (Havana)"
Alwin Reamillo, "Palipad Padapo"
Alwin Reamillo, detail of "Palipad Padapo"
Alwin Reamillo, "Strung Back"
Alwin Reamillo, "Tutubi/Helicopter"
Taking a turn on the piano
A view of the exhibit
Jose John Santos III, "Clouded"
In my book, Tin-Aw holds the title as Makati’s most convivial gallery (Art Informal gets my vote for the Ortigas area). How often have I stopped by for a quick look, only to end up staying longer than intended, chatting and laughing with other art lovers who also just happen to drop by? Where else do you run into art superstars Mark Justiniani, Joy Mallari, Geraldine Javier, or Alfredo Esquillo Jr., and get to sit down with them as old friends? Here, art is taken seriously, but is never intimidating. You get treated with the same amount of charm, and welcomed with the same offer for Chocnut or coffee, whether you happen to be super collector Paulino Que or Mr. Newbie To The Art Scene. Therein lies the secret to Tin-Aw’s success, the reason we all keep coming back to see what treasures their backroom holds. Continue reading
The UP Vargas Museum seems to have become a pretty exciting space this past year. While it had always housed an important
By Jose Tence Ruiz
collection of paintings and memorabilia, it has transformed into a significant venue for contemporary art. In the past few months, we have seen a series of exhibits by artists represented by Manila’s leading commercial art galleries. Consequently, university students have gained access to works by artists critical to the current art scene. Credit must go to curator Patrick Flores. And this latest trio of shows that he put together, all three that opened simultaneously this week, definitely underscores this development . Continue reading
Alfredo Esquillo Jr., and "B.I. Joe"
In the series of paintings which he calls Tragicomedy, Alfredo Esquillo Jr. displays his more surrealist bent. For these works, he makes repeated use of an image he christens as the wheelchair-jeepney. A product of his imagination, he paints this as a jeepney’s dashboard without an engine. Instead, the large wheels of the wheelchair appear to mechanically power the hybrid vehicle. Through the years, Esqui has employed this in several of his pieces: on its own in Third World, pushed around in circles by several buffoons in Survivor, carrying a load of cartons in Lipat-Bahay. He uses the wheelchair-jeepney as a device to underscore the hobbled and disabled state we Pinoys find ourselves unable to shake off, the legacy of repeated missteps by our political leadership. Another conveyance that we see repeatedly in his tragicomedies is the double-faced jeepney, two jeepney dashboards facing opposite directions. Esqui has used this as a metaphor for the Philippines’ lack of progress. The state has two drivers pulling it in opposite directions. Continue reading
Installation view of "A Part" by Winner Jumalon
Just like the gradual onset of the rains that signalled the end to a long, hot summer, the word first went out in whispers that soon turned into a downpour of furious text messages. Winner Jumalon had finally finished work on his show, but nobody knew what to 
expect. And apparently, neither did the folks at Boston Gallery. Continue reading
Art critic Alice Guillermo calls them “stark portraits”, while art writer Gina Fairley describes them as “fiery apparitions”. We
Lynyrd Paras, "Maiisip Mo Ang Wakas Pag Palagi Kang Wasak"
have come to know them well, the soulful eyes and tortured miens that fill the canvases of Lynyrd Paras. We know to look closely at the shadows of texts and images that lie beneath the surface of his painted faces. Therein lie the stories that each painting tells; the words give us clues to the tales that Lynyrd chooses to share. More than just portraits, Lynyrd uses his work to spill out his guts, to take us through the never-ending emotional roller coaster ride that seems to dog his young life. Usually he deals with relationships, his and those of the people close to him. His art leaves the romantics feeling his pain, and the more cynical shaking their heads at the melancholia overload.
Lynyrd Paras, "Isang Madilim Na Umaga"
Its been almost two years since Lynyrd’s last solo show, Welcome To My Blackhearted World. Since then, he’s been through a residency grant with Taksu in Malaysia, and staked his claim as one of the most bankable young artists in Manila’s art scene. He’s taken two local auctions by storm, those at last year’s ManilART and the controversial
Lynyrd Paras, "Tara Tara" and "Wasak Kung Wasak"
Ateneo Alumni event. One can imagine the jockeying for pieces that accompanied the organizing of this current exhibit, Some Things Are Not Meant To Be Beautiful.
Lynyrd Paras, "Kailangan Mo Matuto Mag-Isa"
Eighteen months ago, Lynyrd produced mostly self-portraits. Here, he shows three self portraits along with representations of a few other personages . However, the one I find most interesting is Maisip Mo Ang Wakas Pag Palagi Kang Wasak. He treats this differently from the rest. It is the only one where he does not make use of someone’s face. You get his layers of superimposed figures obscured from beneath a huge skull. Perhaps this is a direction he can start to explore. As much as I find his faces as visually arresting as always, it may also be good for Lynyrd to experiment and put his prodigious skill to a test. He should not be afraid to venture away from what has become a visual signature. We all need to get out of our comfort zones now and again. No one wants to get stuck in a rut. And for an artist possessed with Lynyrd’s youth and incredible talent, trying something new may well lead to the creation of even more irresistible pieces.
Lynyrd Paras, "Abangan Nyo Ako Bukas"
Some Things Are Not Meant To Be Beautiful runs from 5 to 20 June 2010 at the Artispace, 2F Glass Wing, Ayala Museum, Greenbelt Makati City. It moves to the Yuchengco Museum from 21 June to 5 July 2010. For more information, contact Art Verite at http://www.artverite.net
By Lynyrd Paras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y-TwAgq_k8
Damien Hirst, "Transcience Painting"
Skulls and butterflies may as well have been the mantra of ARTHK 10, this year’s edition of the Hong Kong Art Fair. You saw them everywhere, most notably those of the Damien Hirst variety. Continue reading