Annie Cabigting, Warhol's grave, for "Black and White Under A Shroud of Gray and Gray"
Apologies for the sparse postings, but somehow, a project we undertook a few months ago has morphed into Art Fair Philippines 2013, and now it seems that every free minute of the day has been devoted to that beast! For more information—yes, shameless plug!—please do check out www.artfairphilippines.com or https://www.facebook.com/artfairph Continue reading
Halsema AX(i)S Art Project at MO Space
I remember traversing the Halsema Highway aboard a Dangwa Transit bus, and it felt like a journey to another world. This happened many years ago, but to this day, when I think about that trip from Baguio to Sagada, I mostly remember being jostled through hairpin bends and bounced up and down to the clucking of chickens–not exactly conducive to sleeping off excesses from the night before. Continue reading
The Ateneo Art Awards Shortlist for 2012
A three-channel video installation documenting seafarers from a small Visayan island, two multi-piece sculptural installations, and a video celebrating the quirkiness of the jeepney: this year’s Ateneo Art Awards went to works firmly rooted on local sensibilities, translated by three talented artists with global perspectives. Continue reading
Louie Cordero, "My We", image from www.singaporebiennale.org
Manila’s art lovers will remember 2011 as the year when Rodel Tapaya made us proud with his APB Signature Art Prize win, Roberto Chabet proved that he’s still at the top of his game after fifty years, and Mideo Cruz exposed the need for Filipino audiences to encounter more varied forms of artistic expression to broaden their perspectives. Continue reading
Neil Oshima, "Gummy Worms", 2009
I’ve had the good fortune to view pieces from Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo’s private art collection before, an invitation I wouldn’t have passed up. The chance of savoring Rachel’s cooking served as an equally strong lure as the superb art they laid out for our enjoyment. I think that it’s great that they’ve mounted selected works at silverlens, the gallery they own and manage. A Photography Collection allows their clients and supporters to share in their affinity for an art form that they both practice so well. 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
I look forward to the Ateneo Art Awards every year. I believe that it does a credible job of recognizing the best works by young visual artists. I do not always agree with their
Bembol dela Cruz and Kawayan de Guia
selections, and I do have an issue with the awards’ age limit. But overall, I still find it relevant and prestigious, a worthy acknowledgement of efforts undertaken in the past twelve months. All the chatter that rolls in along with the announcement of winners just adds to the fun! Yes we get names that appear every year— but doesn’t that just prove that those who always make it to the shortlist consistently do great work? A key component to the judging process requires artists to recreate an exhibit for the benefit of the panel of jurors. Yes, this imposes an onerous burden on the artists, one that the galleries must pitch in for. Having exhibits properly documented certainly helps. But it does prove difficult to capture an exhibit’s original flavor, despite the galleries’— and the artists’—best efforts. Perhaps, this should be addressed.
"Another Country" installation view
If I had not known any better, I would have reacted just as bewildered as the shoppers strolling down Bonifacio High Street. A rooster’s intermittent crowing mingled incongruously with the Christmas carols that blared out from the mall’s speakers. Passers-by jumped up and glanced around to find its source. A misunderstanding had allowed me to view the current exhibit at MO Space a few days early. So I knew very well that the repeated cock-a-doodle-doos emanated from the building’s third floor, where Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan laid out their latest work. Continue reading
Just like everybody else in the audience, I eagerly awaited the announcement of winners for this year’s Ateneo Art Awards. The
Shattering States: The Ateneo Art Awards 2010 Winners: Pow Martinez, Leslie de Chavez, and Mark Salvatus
Ateneo Art Gallery staff kept the final results under tight guard, even to us jurors. Thankfully, they paced this year’s awards night programme so that none of us had long to wait. Continue reading
The celebration continues at Tin-Aw with the second installment of their anniversary exhibit. I must say I enjoyed this show more
Detail, Pamela Yan Santos, "Sugar Coated"
than the first. Perhaps it had to do with the combination of pieces. Perhaps the smaller number of artists included in this show made me appreciate each artist’s effort more. Perhaps the exhibit’s installation just felt easier to navigate. Perhaps it was all of the above! Continue reading