The exhibitions of creativity by Philippine artists range from contemporary installations to traditional crafts
As August arrives, there is an array of vibrant art exhibitions in Manila to counter its Ghost Month superstitions with positive energy.
Those interested in learning about the Modernist period (roughly from the 1890s to the 1960s) in the Philippines can visit the Avellana Art Gallery to see the work of the forgotten master, F.B. Concepcion. Others can enjoy “Vilma Night” at Archivo 1984 gallery, a tribute to Vilma Santos that appeals to both devoted Vilmanians and casual fans alike.
From ceramic showcases and artisan fairs to contemporary pieces advancing the discourse on Philippine art, August offers a diverse array of art exhibitions for everyone.
1. Eric Zamuco at West Gallery
Eric Zamuco presents an almost eerie installation with “Not of Water Flesh and Blood” featuring work on the ceiling constructed with vacuum-formed acrylic, metal frames, acoustic boards, wood, and a plastic air vent. This is the third time the work has been exhibited after being mounted in the George Caleb Bingham Gallery in Missouri in 2009 and then at the Lopez Museum in 2013.
Gwen Bautista writes in the text, “The installation piece was catalyzed in response to his experience when he was forced to leave his studio (as another tenant took it over). In an act of defiance to the eviction, Zamuco memorialized his wrath by punching, hitting, and kicking clay, casting it on plaster, and finally vacuum-forming the mold in acrylic sheets. Then, he deliberately configured them on existing t-runner frames inside the structure, intended for the ceiling’s soundproofing tile, an oblivious part of the studio that is neither visible nor invisible—reclaiming space without getting in the way. The process is a non-violent approach to dealing with circumstances and participating instead in spiritual warfare.”
Eric Zamuco’s “Not of Water Flesh and Blood” runs from July 18 to August 17, 2024 at West Gallery located at 48, 1104 West Avenue, Quezon City
2. “In Another Sky” at MONO8 Gallery
MONO8 is a contemporary art space that consistently takes chances on a rotation of emerging artists, often with incisive commentary and relevant curation. The most recent group exhibition “In Another Sky” takes from a prompt on Milagros T. Dumdum’s poem “Falling on Quiet Waters” presenting abstract works by eight female artists from across the Philippines and beyond, with works by Erika Abe (Cavite), Grace Impas (Cebu), Jheane Borja (Cebu), Julia Borja (Cebu), Kelli Maeshiro (Hawaii), Leahrly Curitana (Aurora), Pepe Delfin (Capiz), and Sam Bumanlag (Manila). The exhibition also marks the debut of three emerging female curators, Amiel Louise Rivera (Manila), Jessica Anne Alba (Manila), and Marie Nelle Valmoria (Cebu).
Group exhibition “In Another Sky” runs from July 24 to August 25, 2024 at Mono8 Gallery located at BLK 113, 53 Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan
3. “Terroir & Tapestries” curated by Stephanie Frondoso at Aphro
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Aphro has long been a trailblazer in elevating ceramic art in the Philippines. As gallery owner Tina Fernandez once said, “We took a risk showing pottery. Ceramicists were used to having their work in stores with pieces not being taken as much care of. Nor were they used to dealing with a curator. As the viewing public learned more about pottery, the potters themselves also learned how to navigate a community that cares.”
“Terroir as a sense of place… Exploring what the land gives to the artist, Pablo Capati Ill, Paulo Lozano, Mikee Naval, and Jose Solon Perfecto mold and create ceramic artifacts as expressions of culture and philosophy from their respective studios in Batangas, Manila, Sorsogon, and La Union. The celebrated painter, Geraldine Javier, uses flora from her own studio in Cuenca to veil the physical elements in the pottery with her spiritual tapestries of the life cycle, which ends—as we know it—in death, reminding us that our bodies, after all, become part of the land again.” (Aphro)
Capati explores variations in clay, while Javier incorporates eco-printing techniques in her recent pieces. Lozano presents pots shaped on the wheel, while Naval features vessels mirroring natural elements, and Perfecto creates sculptural ceramic works, with Javier’s floral tapestries.
“Terroir & Tapestries” curated by Stephanie Frondoso opened on July 31, 2024 at Aphro Living located at The Alley at Karrivin, 2316 Chino Roces Ave., Makati
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4. Cris Villanueva Jr. at Galleria Duemila
Cris Villanueva Jr., an artist from Iloilo, is known for his interactive works that explore themes of deception, trickery, and chaos. His past pieces often feature the illusion of bubble wrap on paintings, pulling viewers to look closer.
Villanueva’s distinct style is characterized by his use of specific shades of dark green and unique shapes, making his work instantly recognizable.
For his solo exhibition “Now It’s a Little Upside-Down”, he says, “I have always been curious about how things function, whether in music, literature, paintings, or other disciplines,” the artist says. “Now I am more aware of my position with regard to my works. There is an entire history about this relationship… ‘Now It’s a Little Upside-down’ is a form of disturbance—my vetting game. A neo-geometric abstraction with a postmodern bent, attaching three-dimensional works as a consequence.”
Cris Villanueva Jr.’s “Now It’s a Little Upside-Down” runs from August 10 to September 7, 2024 at Galleria Duemila located at 210 Loring, Street, Pasay
5. Winna Go at Finale Art File
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Winna Go, a rising talent in the art scene, is gaining recognition for her contemporary interpretations of Chinese traditions and heritage. Her work often features silk fabric depictions of robes adorned with Asian iconography, exploring themes of Chinese migration in Southeast Asia. In her third solo exhibition, “On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora” at Finale Art File, Go delves into the “diasporic impulse” and pushes the boundaries of painting.
“For the artist, images are charged with symbolic meaning, traversing cultures and what she calls as the ‘belligerence of the sea’ without the loss of potency, all the while unspooling the threads of longing that connect a soul to its forsaken, by choice or otherwise—but not entirely forgotten— home.” (Carlomar Arcangel Daoana)
Winna Go’s “On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora” runs from August 2 to 26 2024 at Finale Art File located at the La Fuerza Compound, Warehouse 17, 2241 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati
6. Lec Cruz at The Drawing Room
Lec Cruz first drew inspiration from the Martin Kippenberger show in the 1980s, “Dear Painter, Paint Me” where the artist collaborated with a professional poster maker to transform photographs taken by a friend into paintings.
For his own exhibition, “Dear Artist”, Cruz takes from his reference, writing, “Kippenberger proposed that the driving concept was more important than the skills used to execute the work.”
For this exhibition, Cruz employed AI image generators, a technique he has been experimenting with since 2020. This creates and focuses on the essence of his ideas. As he translates these digital concepts into paint, he challenges traditional notions of artistic authorship, reflecting the evolving nature of the work of the contemporary Filipino artist.
Lec Cruz’s “Dear Artist” runs from July 20 to August 17, 2024 at The Drawing Room located at Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati
7. Leo Valledor at Silverlens Manila
There are few quite like a Silverlens exhibition, and this particular exhibit of Leo Valledor is heavy with gravitas, despite the stark bright colors and funkily shaped canvases. This show highlights the influential Filipino-American artist’s contributions to 1960s art and American Modernism.
In the exhibition “At First Sight,” we are surrounded by highly finessed canvases of almost pure color, organized in terms of geometric fields. Beside large canvases of color are small studies and drawings in the gallery’s front room that show the meticulous process behind the artist’s practice.
Leo Valledor’s “At First Sight” runs from July 25 to August 17, 2024 at Silverlens Manila located at 2263 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati
8. Artefino
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Founded in 2017, Artefino has evolved from an artisan fair into a dynamic platform that champions local craftsmanship. Recent projects have seen collaborations between artisans and conscious consumers, local fashion designers and contemporary artists, and more.
In the showcase, there will be over 100 Filipino brands, each with unique stories, materials, and traditions. You can expect to see a collaboration between the Bayo atelier and visual artist Patty Eustaquio, the local sustainable bag favorite Rags2Riches, conscious kidswear brand Lalaro, and initiatives by Charming Baldemor Studio to revive the carving industry in Paete.
Besides striving to create a sustainable ecosystem for Filipino artist-entrepreneurs, at the heart of Artefino is the HeArteFino Development Program, which provides customized livelihood and developmental support to artisan communities.
Artefino runs from August 22 to 25, 2024 at The Fifth at Rockwell, Power Plant Mall located at Rockwell Drive, Makati
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