Renownes photographer Veejay Villafranca attempts to weed out religiosity from bogus rituals the Philippines has long been practicing in the second installment of his Christian-themed exhibit “Faith Above Fate.” It will open on June 30, 7 p.m., and will run until July 20 at JIV Manila Art Gallery along Visayas Avenue, Quezon City.
The exhibit will feature selected photographs mounted on light-boxes from Villafranca’s ongoing project focused on religion and Filipino life.
Some of the still images for the collection are projected digitally to give viewers an idea of his four-pronged project covering rituals in Siquijor, the feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, and faith-healing.
“The idea for this project came about years ago when I was just starting out in the field of photojournalism. It was a mind-blowing experience to have covered the Feast of the Black Nazarene. I was brought up through Christianity and followed the doctrine of the Roman Catholic church,” Villafranca said.
Known internationally for photography projects dealing with Filipino culture, Villafranca has shown numerous exhibits around the world, especially after winning the prestigious Ian Parry Art scholarship in London in 2008 and receiving the Crossing Point artist residency program in France on the same year.
Avie Felix, curator of the exhibit, described Villafranca’s works as an expression of “seeing oneself through the other side of the artist’s lens.”
Villafranca’s project is a tour de force as it aims to weave into a series of images the complex manifestations of colonial experience.
“Most importantly, this weaving involves the ‘self,’ willingly incorporating personal history with the acknowledgement that one’s existence is integral to a culture,” Felix said.
JIV Manila Art Gallery, which was set up by a group of artists and art scholars and opened last May 15, is at the 2/F, CK Building, 61 Visayas Ave., Quezon City.
Call tel. 4554429. Visit www.jivmanilaart.com, or the artist’s site at www.veejayvilllafranca.com.
