Mobile apps such as Instagram and Hipstamatic have popularized filters that emulate older cameras, spawning a community of vintage-photography enthusiasts who collect antique medium-format cameras such as Hasselblads and Rolleis.
Through his canvas paintings, artist Almer Moneda surveys this interest in photography in a new show at Galleria Nicolas, “Cranium-Matic,” which will run July 29-Aug. 7 at the newly renovated Galleria Nicolas at 3/F, Art Space, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City (tel. 6250273; e-mail [email protected]; www.gallerianicolas.com).
A resident of the art town of Paete in Laguna, Almer Moneda (b. 1987) has a degree in Drafting from Laguna State Polytechnic University. In “Cranium-Matic,” he merges anatomy and mechanics to paint surreal and hyperrealist images. His themes include the voyeur tendencies of photographers, the “decisive moment” of photography ideologue Henri Cartier-Bresson, and the rules of composition.
Aside from the typical mimetic oil-on-canvas depiction of vintage Leicas and Rolleis, Moneda also attaches the cameras to the heads of various figures—adults, children, and even pets like dogs and cats. The degree of complexity in the details is a unique technique that Moneda has developed, and reflects his drafting skills.
