John Santos goes UnCommon
Yes, it’s true. Jose John Santos III takes a leap, makes a volte-face, and gets rough. In this show, we’re in for a surprise. Continue reading
Jose John Santos III’s {UN}Common Sense
Tag Archives: manila art blogger
Pam Yan Santos Makes Sense
Pam Yan Santos, "Spell Sunday"
Pam Yan Santos, "2280 Hours"
Talk about an artist with universal appeal. Everybody loves Pam Yan Santos. Her work radiates positivity, warmth, and sincerity without resorting to triteness. Those of us who follow her career feel that we know her well. Her journey as a young wife and mother frequently serve as take off points to her art. Yet we never seem to tire of her continued references to home and family ties. Perhaps because we realize that as she draws from within, she always discovers something fresh and unique to share with us. It also helps that when we see one of her paintings on serigraphs, we know that we get a piece that has been put together with careful attention to detail and fastidious craftsmanship.
Detail, "2280 Hours"
Why is Dr. Bing Fernandez smiling so brightly beside "Encircle The Correct Answer"?
Makes Sense takes inspiration from her son, Juno. He is at the stage when he begins to piece together experiences and influences in a logical manner. Juno has started to realize how different situations may connect to one another.
Pam Yan Santos, "Are You Afraid Of The Onion?"
Pam’s pieces display multiple layers of technique and meaning. Using a collection of old photographs culled mostly from her husband’s family as references, she completes eight painted images and two installations for this show.
In Spell Sunday, she creates a verbal and visual pun, playing with the words sunday and sundae. You see a family sitting down together to enjoy an ice cream sundae. You understand that this happens on a Sunday, the day when we usually get together with our immediate and extended families. The focal point of this work, standing dead center, is a perfect, photorealistic depiction of the ice cream sundae. As your eyes move outward, you notice the other details. Outside the ice cream parlor, you see an older couple carrying some luggage. You wonder, have they come to join the group, or have they just left, off to spend their Sunday in their own way? Spell Sunday allows us to define our Sundays.
Pam Yan Santos, "Heavy Duty"
I love the piece 2280 Hours. On one part of the diptych, Pam paints the lower part of someone’s denim-clad legs, crossed impatiently, marking time. The second part, so beautifully rendered, she depicts a crocheted coverlet that had been made by the grandmother of her husband, John. In this piece, Pam marvels at the pace of life in days gone by that allowed ladies the luxury to create such lovely objects for one’s home and family. The title of the piece comes from the number of hours she spent putting together all her work for this show. She reflects on time to remark on its passing and as a reminder to people who always feel pressed for time.
Gigo Alampay of CANVAS stands beside "When Do We Say The Following"
Are You Afraid Of The Onion recounts an amusing incident. One day, as they sat slicing onions in their kitchen, Juno noticed the tears that the onions induced. This left him fascinated. Apparently, the incident made such an impression on him that on another occasion, when he noticed his mom in tears after she had watched a particularly touching show on television, he asked “Mommy, are you afraid of the onion?”
Pam Yan Santos, "I Want To Squash It"
A lady in a red patterned dress examines her shoes in Encircle The Correct Answer. Beneath this line, two responses have been chosen: feet in and fit in. Like most things in life, no one answer wins over another.
Playing musical chairs with Pam's installation
The show’s biggest piece All Together Now…Ready Sing shows six men in various stages of enjoying a meal. All wear identical outfits of white shirts and light blue ties. They look so in sync, as if obeying instructions from the faceless conductor on the right side of the canvas. In this work, Pam pays an oblique tribute to John’s uncle, Ramon Santos, who unintentionally participated in the National Artist controversy earlier this year. Santos had been recommended for the award by the panel that selects National Artists, only to be stricken off the list to make way for Malacañang’s nominees. Look closely and you will see the musical score from one of Ramon Santos’ original creations. He makes another appearance in When Do We Say The Following. Pam uses his image beside her depiction of a door panel secured by several locks. 
At Art Informal’s foyer, Pam mounts two installations that respond to each other. As you come in the gallery’s doors, you see seven different chairs arranged in a circle but facing outward. In each of the chairs, she hangs papier mache balloons displaying various patterns. In this game of musical chairs, all seven participants have a seat, nobody gets eliminated. The chairs become a celebration of individuality and personal identity, a lesson she takes pains to impart to her son. A student’s chair faces the foyer’s wall. On the wall, Pam has reproduced Juno’s doodles of smiley faces. At the center of the piece, she hangs a small blackboard. Here, viewers write down the number of smiley faces they think Pam has printed on the wall. The incentive for the one who comes closest? The chance to bring home one of the balloons!
The artist of the moment, Pam Yan Santos
Because of her choice of images, Pam’s pieces give off a nostalgic air. You feel transported to the 1960s and 1970s, and this adds to the feeling of wholesomeness that pervades in her work. Her technique, however, with its combination of printed and painted layers, definitely comes from today. As the award bodies of both the Ateneo Art Awards and the CCP Thirteen Artists Awards have attested this year, Pam Yan Santos is one of the most exciting contemporary artists practicing at present.
Balloon detail
Makes Sense runs from 27 November to 16 December 2009 at Art Informal, 277 Connecticut St., Greenhills East, Mandaluyong City. Phone (632) 725-8518 or visit http://www.artinformal.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCN6IVGJgq8
Kawayan ROCKS!!!
Kawayan de Guia, "Rock and Roll" jukebox
One of the best shows I’ve seen this year. I can say that right off the bat. I thought Kawayan de Guia would have a hard time topping the installation he did for the CCP Thirteen Artists exhibit. In Katas ng Pilipinas: God Knows Hudas Not Play, he brings that concept further, develops it into a full-blown show, and made my jaw drop! He wowed all of us who happened to catch him putting this show together at The Drawing Room in Makati. Continue reading
The Silence of Meaning by Ronald Caringal and Kadin Tiu
I came to see what the buzz was about. There’s so much interest in Ronald Caringal and Kadin Tiu these days, I came to see
Ronald Caringal, "In the face of facing oneself"
why.
Ronald Caringal, "The Dissolution of Illusion"
Ronald’s paintings, I’m familiar with. I’ve seen them before in Art In Park, at his gallery, Cubicle’s, booth. He also made his auction debut at Sotheby’s fall sales last month. Ronald’s portraits have a very pop, with-it, somewhat retro appeal. You can make the mistake of thinking he composes them digitally. He doesn’t use many colors in each piece, but his choice of bright, fun, candy colors that do not blend into each other reminds us of Lichtenstein or even Chinese superstar Feng Zhenjie. I get his appeal. We can all relate to Ronald’s work.
Ronald Caringal, "The introduction of destruction to the concept of natural selection" triptych and "When rest becomes restlessness"
I had only seen one other work of Kadin before, at ManilART 09 in July. From what I understand, she’s a photographer who recently shifted to paintings to express herself. You sense this background in her pieces. What she makes of this positive response by the art market to her new medium would be interesting to watch.
Kadin Tiu, "Moving Into Perspective" and "Everything, Everywhere, Silence"
This show, The Silence of Meaning, doesn’t pretend to be more than easy and light. Sometimes, that’s all we’re in the mood for.
Kadin Tiu, "It feels like a moment I've lived a thousand times before" and "When you can't tell the difference"
The Silence of Meaning runs from 20 November to 4 December 2009 at The Metro Gallery, 455 P. Guevarra St., San Juan, Metro Manila. Phone (632)726-6543 or visit http://www.artesfiguras.com or http://ronaldcaringal.multiply.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwCYyvrpo3o
The Sacred And Profane for Peewee Roldan
This October and November, Norberto “Peewee” Roldan brings his works to KL and Singapore, to the spaces of TAKSU in
Peewee's smaller-sized assemblages, "Sacred Devotions 7 and 8"
both cities. Six weeks ago, the weekend before Typhoon Ondoy forever changed our definition of calamity, Peewee mounted a preview for both these shows at MO’s Space. The preview only ran for five days, and I had the good fortune to catch it. Continue reading
Profiles of Courage: Juana Change Portraits at the UP Vargas Museum
You gotta hand it to Mae Paner. First, she creates an alter ego that fearlessly takes on the political issues of the day. As Juana
Mark Justiniani, "Parting"
Change, the obese and vulgar personality she adopts on You Tube broadcasts, Mae has
Winner Jumalon, "Supercalifragilisticespialidocious"
created a cult phenomenon. Now she publicly challenges herself to lose weight, to take on a healthier lifestyle. But not before allowing 36 artists to document her in all her voluptuous glory. She lets it all out—stomach folds, cellulite ripples, Rubenesque buttocks and arms—naked, for all of us to see. The exhibit notes say that we should expect the artists to mount Part II sometime before the May 2010 elections. Mae will then reveal her, hopefully, much more svelte self. In the meantime, let’s enjoy her hefty proportions while we still can!
By Winner Jumalon, detail
By Kawayan de Guia
Two untitled pastels by Charlie Co
As with exhibits of this magnitude and variety, I can’t help but choose my favorites. Kawayan de Guia‘s photograms top my list. He prints them on glass mirrors, and when viewed from different angles, his images distort like holograms. He frames his pieces in a sunburst pattern from cut oil cans (literally Baguio oil!) which seem reinforced with wood underneath. His frank, grotesque, in-your-face treatment of Juana induce just the right amount of cringe that I look for when deliberating on art. He piles on the humor too. In one of his pieces, he juxtaposes a stretched out Juana against a sweatshirt that reads “Physical Education”. Another shows a pensive Juana perhaps dreaming of her beauty underneath the blubber.
Benjie Reyes, "Ng Nakalabit"
I also loved Mark Justiniani‘s pieces. No one works with pastel the way he does. His oil on canvas piece, Parting, is vintage Mark.
The show also aims to raise funds for Mae to continue her You Tube productions. What a great way to do so!
By Julie Lluch and Kiri Dalena
Pangatawanan Mo Nah! runs from 5 to 15 November 2009 at the UP Vargas Museum, UP Diliman, Quezon City.
At The Entrance
Brenda Fajardo, "Angel's Wings"
Lee Paje, "Ang Bote-buti Ni Mae"
Into The Woods With Yasmin Sison
Yasmin Sison, "Delicate Earthquakes"
Yasmin Sison, "The Bird and the Fox"
Blink and you discover that you’ve missed around five good exhibits. At least that’s how I feel after returning from a short trip and finding myself swamped with so much work that art had to take a back seat for a few days. It seems I have so much to catch up on. I decided to make my first foray back into the art scene with the most high profile of shows, Yasmin Sison Ching’s Into The Woods at the SM Art Center.
Yasmin Sison, "A Fistful of Impermanence"
Andy Barrioquinto Turns Japanese
"Realms Of The Senses" and Andy Barrioquinto
I had always been drawn to Andres Barrioquinto’s faces, especially the monochromatic ones of recent history, rendered almost flat, in tones of blue. Continue reading
Bright Clouds Over Boston
Rodel Tapaya, "Espiya ni Pedroso"
The first day of the week brought in the sunshine, a welcome balm to a city reeling from images of misery and destruction. Later in the day the rains may start pouring again, pounding relentlessly on bodies and belongings that haven’t recovered, still not inured to another onslaught. I thought to seize the best of the day, to take a few hours break from dismal reality. I headed north, and after
Rodel Tapaya, "Tumana"
seeing Boston Gallery’s current exhibit, knew I had made the right choice. Continue reading
Marking Milestones with Joel Alonday
Joel Alonday, "The Disguise"
What a welcome development for the art scene that the creative minds behind Art Informal have decided to devote half of their line up for the year to sculpture exhibits. Already, they’ve chalked up some pretty good ones: glass and stone pieces from Noell El Farol and Mervy Pueblo, works on clay in Himasmas, woodwork
Joel Alonday, "Posporo"
from Riel Hilario. Even more exciting, Joel Alonday, one of the gallery’s prime movers and its resident curator, also the 2008 Metrobank Foundation awardee for Achievement in Sculpture, finally shows his own pieces. Because of his responsibilities in developing AI’s exhibits and conducting its workshops, Joel’s fans and collectors have had to wait three years for this solo appearance.
Joel Alonday, "Makiling"
Few of us know that Joel’s background in industrial design led him to a stint as an exporter in the 1980s. Not content with merely developing products for foreign markets, he also learned how to fabricate them. He honed his skills in basketry and sewing, carving wood, welding iron, and working with resin. Eventually, his nine to five job crossed into more creative pursuits. As his firm exported papier mache products in 1987, he joined the art group Hulo and exhibited life-sized papier
Joel Alonday, "Missing A Leaf"
mache sculpture. It took a few years before his first solo show. In 1994, at the CCP, he presented mixed media assemblages. By 1997, he committed himself fully to sculpture, collaborating with curator Bobi Valenzuela, showing first in Hiraya, then Boston Gallery.
Joel Alonday, "Oh Jonah"
Markings signals a departure for Joel, a break from monumental pieces in cold cast marble. This time, he holds off on busts of our national heroes and denizens of classical mythology. Instead, he takes us on an intimate journey through his personal and artistic life. He works with clay, occasionally combining it with wrought iron, experimenting with different glazes to finish his pieces. He installs his pieces chronologically, grouping together works that recall specific periods and events.
Joel Alonday, "Mortuus Mens"
We begin at the gallery’s foyer. In Fairytale, Joel portrays a mermaid’s tail as a fragile and delicate skeleton, gently curving as if ready to swish. Through its slightness, he illustrates how easily a myth crumbles with the onset of adulthood. He uses locally-sourced clay for this piece, a variety developed by potter Jon Pettyjohn. Mortuus Mens means death of the mind. It is a depiction of the god Shiva, atrophied from the inactivity of its brain. You first notice that this figure wears its brains like a rapper’s skullcap. Its torso has six arms and they hang limply on its side. Before devoting his days to his art, Joel felt brain dead, paralyzed by his daily corporate grind.
Joel Alonday, "Fairytale"
Joel lets us into his internal struggles with his faith via two pieces. The humorous Mooning portrays the devil burrowing his way back to the underworld with only its long and spiky tail visible to us on earth. Seed takes a more sombre tone, with its bust of Padre Pio, recently canonized, a source of miracles.
Joel Alonday, "Mooning"
Joel Alonday, "Seed"
My favorite piece, Disguise, speaks of past heartbreak at the hands of women who are not what they seem to be. Lift up her hair and voila, she takes on a different persona. Almost unnoticed, the tips of her wig end in goat horns. Posporo is the last piece Joel finished for this show, at the point when he felt spent and burnt out.
Joel Alonday, "Medusa"
While the tragic events brought on by Typhoon Ondoy make the art scene seem irrelevant for now, it would be a pity to miss out on Joel’s show. After all, we may have to wait another three years for the next one.
Joel Alonday, "Lady By The Sea"
Markings by Joel Alonday runs from 24 September to 24 October 2009 at Art Informal, 277 Connecticut St., Greenhills East, San Juan. Phone (632) 725-8518 or visit http//:www.artinformal.com
