Artists of the Philippines
In my first blog, I introduced myself as an immigrant from the Philippines. As a part of the diaspora, I find myself confused about my identity in terms of nationality. In an effort to reconnect with my birth country and my family's ancestry, I consume Filipino literature and media. For my last blog, I will share three works of contemporary artists of the Philippines.
APEC-Boracay 2, Leeroy New
Boracay, Philippines, 2015
Mixed media
Leeroy New is trained as a sculptor. His works blend "theatre, fashion, film, production design, and public art" (Bhandari). This installation was for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which was hosted in Boracay, Philippines. This installation appears as though we were brought deep below the sea's surface where bio-luminescent fish wander. There are more photos in the daylight where it is not lighted and it still perfectly captures an aquatic atmosphere. The curved frames wrap around the stage bringing the spotlight directly to its center. New designed the perfect stage for the APEC conference that embodies the seafaring nature of its participants.
Kawayan de Guia draws on "popular culture, the media, and consumerism" (Bhandari). This piece is part of an exhibition titled "The Possibility of an Island at Cromwell Place." The exhibition celebrates contemporary art practices across Southeast Asia. In this piece, de Guia "reflects on collisions between past and present" (Moldan). This can be seen in the contrasting elements of flora and machinery. I enjoy the collage-like appearance to the piece as if this were found in a hobbyist's journal. The stark contrast between the penciled plants and leaves and detailed modern additions emphasize the conflict of past and present. At a larger scope, de Guia captures the conflict between traditional Filipino practices and the continuous progress of modern conveniences.
Patricia Perez Eustaquio is an installation artist with a focus on mixed media. Many of her works are sculpted from molds, fabrics, and resin. Her work "examines the idea of perception and memory" (Bhandari). In this piece, Estaquio freezes a crochet lace in time with resin. The light that shines down onto the piece only illuminates the lower section. The shadows of the lace fall down on the wood below it. This piece is a bit too abstract for me. Eustaquio "considers the ways in which we use and consume objects, through discourse, utility and adornment" ("Patricia Perez Eustaquio"). The crochet lace is a standard household item in any Filipino household, and in this piece, Eustaquio transformed an everyday item into a piece of art.
Works Cited
Bhandari, Shirin. “10 Contemporary Filipino Artists to Know.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 1 Sept. 2016, theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/top-10-filipino-contemporary-artists-where-to-find-them/.
“Patricia Perez Eustaquio.” Gasworks, www.gasworks.org.uk/residencies/patricia-perez-eustaquio-2018-01-08/.
Moldan, Tessa. “Southeast Asia Focus at London's Cromwell Place.” Ocula the Best in Contemporary Art Icon., Ocula, 13 Dec. 2020, ocula.com/magazine/insights/the-possibility-of-an-island-at-cromwell-place/.
I really your post! As a Filipino-American, who only has visited the Philippines a few times, his helped me feel more connected to my culture. I enjoyed each of the various works that you presented and provided the artworks' background information to help us understand their meaning. Of all the works you displayed, the second one caught my attention the most, due to its concept and interesting art elements. And when it comes to the Philippines, they possess such diversity when it comes to art, and I always love seeing different mediums and works that aren't known in western art. Nice Work!
ReplyDeleteFantastic post, I think it's great how you went full circle with your blog, starting off with your Filipino heritage and ending with Filipino art. Of the three, The Castle in the Pyrenees is my favorite piece because of how the shadow that the fabric looks and I can just imagine it changing with the change in sunlight. Its great to see another medium introduced and seeing how different cultures have interpreted the overarching concept of art. Thanks for you blog!
ReplyDeleteVery nice post, Gerald! It's ironic that I randomly chose your blog because my husband is currently deployed in the Philippines! I really enjoyed the pieces you chose, they were all very different and interesting to learn about. My favorite was the first one, APEC-Boracay 2, because it was just so interesting and cool to look at. I would LOVE to see it in person. I am a huge ocean girl and wish I could explore the deep sea (I probably never will, though). This piece instantly reminded me of the hidden bio-luminescent world and and really does capture the aquatic atmosphere well. Awesome job!
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