Project Space Pilipinas

SAGE Residency #2: Yogyakarta

2011-07-10T06:33:00.001-07:00

Sangkring Art Project
cordially invites you to the opening of
SAGE RESIDENCY #2: 'Yogyakarta'

Christopher H. Zamora (Philippines)
Josef Zean Cabangis (Philippines)
Choiruddin (Indonesia)
Nugroho Heri Cahyono (Indonesia)
Chong Kim Chiew (Malaysia)
Suddin Lappo (Malaysia)

Monday, 11 July 2011 at 07 pm
Dialogue & Artist Talk : Tuesday, 12 Juli 2011, Jam 16.00 wib

SAGE residensi 2011 : sebuah catatan ringkas

Yogyakarta, menjadi tempat singgah ke 2 program SAGE (Southeast Asia Group Exchange) Residensi 2011. Adalah sebuah program pertukaran seniman, program residensi, yang melibatkan kelompok seni visual dan perupa dari negara-negara di Asia Tenggara. Program ini bertujuan untuk menjalin hubungan sesama seniman, sekaligus membuka kesempatan untuk membangun jaringan kesenian di antara negara-negara yang terlibat. Program residensi ini digagas oleh Tenggara Artland (Indonesia), House of Matahati (Malaysia), Project Space Pilipinas (Philipina).

Menyertai mereka selama proses residensi, saya mencatat beberapa hal menarik dari proses kreatif yang telah dilakukan. Suasana Yogyakarta yang hiruk pikuk dengan kehidupan seni rupa, menjadi bagian menarik sepanjang pelaksanaan residensi. Lawatan ke studio seniman, menyaksikan event pembukaan pameran, obrolan dan diskusi bermalam-malam menjadi energi tersendiri. Wacana kesenian, market hingga perkara-perkara teknis penciptaan, menjadi bahan diskusi yang menarik untuk memahami kondisi medan seni rupa di negara masing-masing. Berpijak dari obrolan dan diskusi ini pula mereka mengancang karya-karya kolaborasi, di mana pertukaran gagasan, isu yang hendak dituju, pokok perupaan yang hendak dituangkan hingga pertimbangan material dan teknis penciptaan menjadi poin tersendiri. Kebiasan praktik kerja masing-masing seniman yang berlainan juga melahirkan negosiasi dan sharing kerja yang sangat menarik.

Menemani proses mereka berkarya, saya melihat ruh dan spirit yang sama dalam tajuk kekaryaan mereka, sebuah spirit dari masyarakat negara berkembang yang kritis dan terus bergeliat. Persoalan identifikasi diri, identitas, sejarah, akar kultur hingga persoalan modernitas dan globalisasi menjadi pertanyaan-pertanyaan kritis yang mereka lontarkan. Seperti Chong Kim Chiew menggunakan peta sebagai bahasa untuk mempertanyakan sejarah wilayah. Bagaimana kekuatan sosial politik, mampu merubah teritori, perbatasan hingga kontur demografis manusianya. Dengan media akrilik dan spidol boardmarker, ia pertemukan semua teks wilayah, jalan dan sungai, dan nama tempat dari seluruh wilayah dunia dalam selembar kertas. Carut marut tanda itulah yang menarik kita pada batas-batas memori akan ruang yang telah tererosi, sekaligus mengajak kita untuk menilik ulang konstruksi identitas. Ingatan akan kampung halamannya, Malaysia, menuntun Suddin Lappo untuk terus mengungkapkan kondisi negaranya saat ini. Bagaimana perjuangan rakyat Malaysia menegakkan demokrasi yang bersih disiratkannya dalam figur potret diri memegang kartu kuning. Warna yang identik dengan kompensasi pelanggaran dalam permainan sepak bola, di mana warna kuning juga menjadi simbol perjuangan rakyat Malaysia saat ini. Sebagai seniman, ia termasuk seniman yang kritis. Nada satire akan kebijakan negara berikut tingkah laku para aparatusnya seringkali tersemat dan terdengar dalam karya-karyanya.

Zean Cabangis, seniman muda dari Philipina ini banyak mencermati kontur lingkungan dari suatu tempat yang dikunjunginya, untuk kemudian disatukannya secara acak dalam bidang kanvas. Mulai dari figur, pohon, hingga benda-benda yang identik dengan tempat tersebut disusun dengan pendekatan teknik realism yang dipadu dengan corak-corak grafis sebagai elemen pendukung. Zean lebih banyak menyoal tentang identifikasi ruang berikut tegangannya dengan psikologi masyarakatnya, hingga respon audiens saat karya itu dipresentasikannya. Sementara Christopher Zamora asyik berkolaborasi dengan Nugroho Heri Cahyono. Persoalan globalisasi dan modernitas yang melanda dunia ketiga, telah menyebabkan masyarakatnya terkapar dengan kondisi ini. Konstruksi baja berbentuk diamond dimaksudkan sebagai ikon dari modernism, menindih sosok figur manusia yang menahannya tak berdaya. Seolah gambar bercerita, tubuh sang figure itupun layuh pada panel berikutnya. “Inilah gambaran masyarakat yang tidak sanggup menanggung beban modernitas dan globalisasi, mereka menyerah dan jatuh terkapar”, demikian ungkap Heri. Sementara persoalan art scene saat ini yang chaotic coba diungkapkan Choiruddin dalam potret seorang gadis yang dikelilingi buih. Samar-samar terlihat sobekan kertas bertulis ‘galeri’, suatu tanda yang mengundang konflik visual tersendiri. Apakah wacana art scene yang terkesan konseptualistik, molek dan cantik, hanyalah buih-buih basa yang hadir untuk menutupi kepentingan market yang sebenarnya?

Merangkai setiap gagasan visual dan pemikiran mereka, saya menangkap sebuah gajala kritis mereka atas perkembangan seni rupa kontemporer saat ini. Bagaimana seni kemudian hadir sebagai sebuah strategi diplomasi kebudayaan yang menarik, beririrng dengan perputaran kapital yang maha dahsyat. Bukan untuk menafikkannya, akan tetapi menjalin sebuah pemahaman bersama untuk kemudian bersikap kritis dan seksama. Ada sebuah strategi kesenian yang mesti dibangun secara bersama-sama, tidak saja dalah satu teritori, namun melintas sekat pembatas negara. Upaya kerja jaringan ini harus terus diupayakan dengan tetap berpijak pada identifikasi diri, meyakini identitas asal dan akar kultural serta menjalin kerja kolektif yang kontributif. Senyatanya setiap gagasan karya mereka mengancang pada persoalan identitas yang terbelah dan problematik. Setiap karya hadir dalam nuansa dan wacana yang dalam. Proses kerja mereka selama residensi menunjukkan karakter yang beragam. Layaknya sebuah motivasi, mencermati perspektif mereka terasa ad upaya identifikasi diri yang lebih, reposisi wacana kekinian, hingga upaya pemetaan posisi seni rupa kontemporer Asia Tenggara dalam peta seni dunia.

Program residensi SAGE ini merupakan sebuah program kerja jaringan yang sangat baik dalam membuka peluang komunikasi dan hubungan lintas budaya. Bagaimana seniman mampu membaca, memahami dan berkarya secara kontekstual di mana pun mereka berada. Adanya spirit akar rumpun yang sama juga memberikan motivasi yang menarik dalam melihat dan mencermati fenomena global yang ada. Berbincang dengan mereka senyatanya saya menangkap sebuah mimpi bersama, Asia Tenggara menjadi kiblat seni kontemporer dunia suatu hari nanti. (Hendra Himawan. kurator)

Organizer by
TENGGARA, House of MATAHATI (HOM), Project Space Pilipinas

Sangkring Art Project
Nitiprayan Rt.1 Rw.20 No. 88 Ngestiharjo, Kasihan Bantul Yogyakarta, 55182, Telp. (0274) 381032; 081227675678

The exhibition will continue until 23 July 2011

NEAR Artist: Junyeong Jang (Korea)

2011-06-23T08:56:00.001-07:00

Christopher Zamora Solo Exhibition

2011-06-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

A tool ceases to be one the moment it morphs into a lifestyle. It begins to have an essence of its own. It breathes. It thinks. And then it consumes.

Christopher Zamora reveals the unquestioned dominance of contemporary lifestyle over our collective psyche. His canvas transcends a subculture conceived by an illusory will to connect and be part of something bigger than the individual. Zamora's art exposes the self-defeating dependence on “having,” as a product of diminishing one's “being.”

Zamora's work delves into the minds of the very real and living people simply called by technology pimps as “target demographics.” Raw emotions that were once channeled through actual interaction with more raw emotions are filtered by the entanglements of fiber optic lines, wireless networks, and the evolving boob tube. Reality is continually modified and re-modified with the introduction of the eternal concept of “upgrades,” further enslaving the fragility of the youth's need for self-determination. What is left is a landscape of blurred purposes – a barren dessert of plastic, microchips, lenses, shiny discs, keyboards, touch screens, and the organic ether of a lost generation's dreams.

A silent paradox is the ultimate portrait of this artist's theme. Aired are contradictions between the claimed benefits of “making the globe smaller” and the actual fruits of depriving a generation or more of the reality that is not virtual. This unreal reality is then reinforced by the willingness of indolent minds to not discern between purpose and consequences. And as the machine enslaves the acquiescing consciousness, a self-sustaining cycle of blind adherence prevails.

Zamora has carved his name in contemporary art through his solo exhibits including Sorrowful Mysteries (Project Space Pilipinas) and Infectious (West Gallery) in 2009, Silip (Boston Gallery) in 2005 and Everybody Wants to Feel Better (Kulay Diwa Art Galleries) in 2003. He has also participated in numerous notable exhibitions here and abroad including We Was There (Yuchengco Museum, Manila) 2011, Yeosu International Art Festival (Yeosu City, Korea), Art Triangle (Soka Gakkai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Reflections (Bupyeong Art Center, Incheon, Korea), Studio Parade (Incheon Art Platform, Incheon, Korea), Media Concert ‘Love’ (Topohous Art Gallery, Seoul) in 2010, Tenggara: Recent Paintings from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines (Novas Gallery, London), Plastic Syndrome (Art Space Plastic, Incheon, Korea) in 2009, 2nd Hand Smoke (Cultural Center of the Philippines) in 2006, Buklod (Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, Manila) in 2003, and EMO (Boston Gallery, Manila) in 2001. His works had been part of an ensemble of art pieces presented in Art Beijing in 2008 and Daegu Art Fair in 2010. Zamora was artist-in-residence at Project Space Pilipinas in 2008, Neo-Emerging Artist Residency (NEAR Seoul) in 2009, International Artist Studio Program, IASK Goyang National Art Studio, Korea in 2010. He is currently taking part in the Southeast Asian Art Group Exchange Residency (SAGER), an exchange residency among artists from Kuala Lumpur, Yogjakarta, and Manila. (-Lloyd Llaga)

Freshly Brewed at Republikha Art Gallery

2011-05-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

Republikha Gallery in collaboration with Project Space Pilipinas is proud to present Freshly Brewed, a group exhibition showcasing works by Carlo Gabuco, Amer Mira, Joey Cobcobo, Ian Carlo Jaucian, Ranelle Dial, Tristram Miravalles, Caloy Gernale, Joe Geraldo, Zean Cabangis, and Marc Cosico.

Freshly Brewed takes a fresher look on the variety of artistic concerns, as each artist respond to the round format as a dynamic visual device. As noted by Rudolf Arnheim in his book, The Power of the Center, “A frame can be intimately connected with the composition it encases. It can act as a window through which one sees a more or less distant scene, extending beyond and beneath the limits of the frame.”

The round or circular shape on the other hand, breaks away from the usual spatial continuum reinforced by the more structural angled frames. The adaptation of diverse narratives and metaphors in the circular border places the picture more, as a symbolic object or an idea, rather than a window to see through. Arnheim also added that, “roundness is the suitable shape for objects that belong nowhere and everywhere, it is impregnable and unconcerned. Having no angles and no edges, it points nowhere and has no weak spots.” And these, make the circular shape the most fitting format in presenting freshly brewed and inviting ideas in art.

Freshly Brewed runs until June 8, 2011.

Black Gate: Caloy Gernale / Tristram

2011-05-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just tell the tricycle driver, “Manong, sa Arayat St. po, du’n sa apartment na may itim na gate, katapat ng puno ng balete,” and without any trace of uncertainty on his crude face, the driver takes you to the place. It is impossible to get lost as the description of how to make it to Project Space Pilipinas (PSP) is as striking as the current national situation. And among the apartment units, it is the only one that has a black gate guarded by the mystical balete tree.

What is the meaning of the color black?

Similar to the balete tree, the color black is usually associated with mystery and fear of the unknown. People tend to correlate the color black with their unexplained and/or imaginary experiences that typically take place during the night. Filipinos have the idealist notion that creatures travel from the underworld to the world where we live through passageways such as the balete tree or anything dark or black. The color black also connotes death and the evil. This is why black is the color preferred by people who grieve for the loss of a beloved.

Idealist beliefs are constructed and the color black is utilized to establish such beliefs. Meanwhile, opposite the balete tree, behind the black gate, materialist ideas are formed through the paintings of two of probably the most underappreciated artists in the archipelago today—Tristram Miravalles and Carlo “Caloy” Gernale. Their ideas do not come from the unknown or unexplained. Their ideas are rather derived from personal and collective experiences, socio-political occurrences and recent history. Both artists utilize art to achieve a particular goal—to study society. One artist uses art to communicate his personal encounters; the other artist uses art to examine the collective encounters.

Dog spelled backwards is God.

Tristram Miravalles uses the already loaded image of the dog as the central theme of his works. According to him, “Ang aso ay parang tao rin, hindi ba? Halos wala namang pinagkaiba ang aso sa tao.” This is true in many ways.

As if the canvas was an open journal, Tristram retells his very unfortunate encounter with the people who vowed to “serve and protect.” For an illegal deed he did not commit, he was detained for ten days by forces of District Anti-illegal Drugs (DAID). For an artist like Tristram, his experiences inside this shithole inevitably become a rich source of insights.

In some of Tristram’s works, the image of the dog is used as a symbol of misused power and abused authority. In his other pieces, the dog’s figure is used to represent Tristram himself, like a self-portrait.

Tristram’s works exude the kind of angst that is as lethal as the rabies that causes acute inflammation of the brain. His works will remind the viewer of a familiar juvenile anguish provoked by the putrid elements of the bureaucratic system.

To better understand what Tristram’s rhetoric means, this is where the author of this paper finally says, “Let his paintings do the barking.”

Caloy Gernale, on the other hand, employs the idea of “god” or “messiah,” using the “messiah complex,” which refers to “the irrational desire of a human being to take care of others, practically disregarding the other person’s willingness to be helped out or be taken care of,” as springboard for the meaning that he wants to convey through his paintings. Incorporating the contemporary image of the messiah (e.g. the game show host who is adored and believed by the masses, or the transnational fairytale blondie whose kiss is believed to relieve the socio-economic misery of the victimized nation, or the “yello baby” who promises to be our savior) becomes a clever way to describe the recurring socio-political situation of semi-feudal, neocolonial Philippines.

Caloy’s paintings remind the viewer of how we were deceived by the “benevolent forces” which colonized us for 40 years and patiently trained local puppets to secure their influence on Philippine economy, politics, and culture. These “benevolent forces” say they wanted to help us because we, according to McKinley, “were unfit for self-government.” This is what they wanted us to believe so they could justify their feat.

Caloy attempts to put an exclamation point to the burning question, “Do the Filipinos have collective messianic complex?” Do we really believe that our salvation relies on the institutions established by the ruling elite? If so, how did we come up with such a notion? Is this idea innate to us or is it actually a product of the material condition of the Filipino nation? Is this belief an offspring of the banging forces and relations of production?

Through his paintings, Caloy agitates the viewer’s tendencies to be complacent. Caloy encourages the viewer to understand society from their point of view, make informed opinions and hopefully transform these opinions into organized actions.

Let the god in Caloy’s paintings guide your eyes to find the answers. The completeness of meaning does not solely rely on the painter. Meaning is completed when the viewer has significant response to the images or symbols which he/she tries to make sense of.

Do not knock. Just enter.

The artists-in-residence did not leave the gates locked. Knocking will be unnecessary. You would just have to enter and brace yourself to the thought-provoking works of Tristram Miravalles and Caloy Gernale.

Tristram’s dog would be barking at you. And Caloy’s god will be there too.

-Andang Juan, General Trias, Cavite, 06 May 2011

NEAR Opening: BLACK GATE

2011-05-08T00:22:00.001-07:00

LIA: Rundgang 2011

2011-04-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Leipzig International Art Programme

Marjolijn de Wit (Netherlands)
Lorenza Diaz (Switzerland)
Aurelie Petrel (France)
Leslie de Chavez (Philippines)
Laurent Proux (France)

April 30 to May 1, 2011
Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei
Leipzig, Germany

Self Camera: Repositioning Modern Self

2011-04-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Participating Artist(s): Chen Wenling, Leslie De Chavez, Alison Guidry, Huang Min, Osman Khan, Stone Kim, Bongjeong Koo, Nikki S. Lee, Joongkeun Lee, Daewoong Nam, Motohiko Odani, Sherman Ong, Kelvin Kyung Kun Park, Young-Dae Park, Yooah Park, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Robert Rhee, Tomoko Sawada, Izumi Taro, Michiko Tsuda, Yang Xinguang, Yang Fudong, Zhang Dali

Date: Apr 16, 2011 - May 11, 2011
Opening: Apr 16, 2011, 15:00, Saturday
Venue(s): Sungsan, South Korea
Curator(s): Baik Gyun Kim, Chul Ha Ryu, Xia Yanguo

Project SAGER 2011

2011-04-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

SAGER (Southeast Asian Art Group Exchange Residency) is a regional residency programme organized by House of MATAHATI (Malaysia), TENGGARA Artland (Indonesia) and Project Space Pilipinas (Philippines).

SAGER takes in artists with at least five years of experience and the Southeast Asian group exchange enables Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino artists to foster and strengthen regional ties, as well as to network and establish a better understanding of their neighbours.

The residency entails 30-days each in Kuala Lumpur, Jogjakarta and Manila. During this time, artists-in-residences not only produce artworks for exhibitions in each city, but also partake in studio visits, gallery and art institution visits, as well as introductions to significant art collectors and art communities.

Aside from these physical dialogues, SAGER also fosters a visual dialogue, as artists from these three countries are encouraged to engage in cross-cultural meditations and to broach new visual languages in their works.

At PSP: Caloy Gernale & Tristram Miravalles

2011-04-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

We Was There at the Yuchengco Museum

2011-04-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

We Was There is a continuation of Reflections, an international exchange residency and exhibit between young Korean and Filipino artists in South Korea last May 2010. The initiative brought together four artists from Korea and four from the Philippines, who—after spending time together in both countries and exploring each country’s cultures—attempted to reinterpret their views on society based on the similarities and differences of their cultures through contemporary art.

The exhibit showcases individual and collaborative works by Filipino artists Michael Alvin Adrao, Carlo Gabuco, Leslie de Chavez, and Christopher Zamora, and by Korean artists Che Jinsuk, Kwon Jayeon, Lee Soyoung, and Koh Byungsung. On display are paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, and photographs previously exhibited in Reflections, as well as created after the exchange residency.

NEAR Resident Artist: Amer Abdullatif Mira

2011-04-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

MANO MANO: Adrao and Rodriguez

2010-11-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

One brings up Mano Mano and the tendency is to refer to a spontaneous brawl, or else a fighting match where challengers agree to use only their fists. Yet in martial arts parlance, Mano Mano would be the higher level in the practice of Eskrima, the weapons-based fighting technique known and practiced by various names in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Disciples of Eskrima are taught that weapons are mere appendages to the body. The weapon is the body, and therefore the hands that wield the weapons will become proficient enough to fight entirely bare. Hence, Mano Mano, as the title of this two-man exhibit suggests, is a declaration of advancement, of a proficiency that could only be achieved by discipline and devoted practice.

Michael Alvin R. Adrao and Raoul Ignacio M.Rodriguez were first brought together in the national summer visual arts workshop organized in 1995 at Sambalikhaan by Brenda Fajardo and the late Bobi Valenzuela with Baglan, the organization of cultural workers, the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music (AILM) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). This was an art camp that emphasized collaborative work and experimentation in art making based on basic traditional art practices. Among the other students from different schools and regions who interacted with them were Geraldine Javier, Mideo Cruz, Jonathan Ching, Fernan Escora and Martin Genodepa and other names known in the roster of innovative contemporary artists today.

“Mano Mano” joins Adrao and Rodriguez anew, primarily through a similar passion for drawing and then too for their parallel scrutiny of the human condition, mired as it is and grappling with transfigurations wrought on nature by mechanized and labor-intensive industries. Beyond its manifestation as plan and notation of immediacy for the benefit of mainstream art outputs such as painting and sculpture, the craft of drawing is brought to light by this exhibit as a discipline in its own right. These are inscriptions of image and statement that could only be consciously developed by learned hands.

Mike Adrao is a graduate of UP College of Fine Arts and finished residencies at NEAR Dangsang in Seoul, Korea in 2009 and Project Space Pilipinas in 2008. Iggy Rodriguez studied at UST College of Fine Arts and Architecture and was a recipient of the CCP Thirteen Artists Awards in 2009, and twice won at the pen-and-ink drawing category of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) competition in 2003 and 2001.

“Mano Mano” is presented by slash/art artists’ initiatives at Blanc Compound Mandaluyong at 359 Shaw Boulevard Interior, Mandaluyong City from November 16 to 30, 2010. The artists will be present at the opening reception on Tuesday, November 16 at 6:00pm.

Seoksu Art Project Open Studio 2010

2010-09-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ateneo Art Awards 2010 : Shattering States

2010-09-02T07:55:00.001-07:00

On its fiftieth anniversary, the Ateneo Art Gallery is pleased to announce that “Shattering States” has been selected as the theme of this year’s Ateneo Art Awards in recognition of the museum’s pioneering efforts in championing the cause of modernism in the country.

Traversing the range and scale of art practice, the 2010 edition of the Awards actively underscores the transgressions being carried out by artists rather than being an evocation of stasis or permanence. Ceaselessly challenging traditional media forms, this year presents an explosive gamut of artists whose codified works in one way or another hybridize manifestations that delineate and define the cutting edge.

Beyond the parameters of the object and its creator, “Shattering States” is also an ongoing reflection about time and place: a mental mapping of links that connect local and global concerns. As Philippine society finds itself yet again at the cusp of success or failure, art is ultimately about harnessing and realizing the potential of the imagination to create a wishing space that will effectuate lasting change.

The winners of the 2010 Ateneo Art Awards: Shattering States, were announced in a well-attended awards ceremony at the Grand Atrium of the Shangri-La Plaza last Thursday, 12 August. Leslie de Chavez was awarded for his solo exhibition, Buntong Hininga, shown at Silverlens Gallery; Pow Martinez for his solo exhibition 1 Billion Years in West Gallery; and Mark Salvatus for his work Secret Garden, which was part of the group show Sungduan 5: Daloy ng Dunong held at the National Museum.

The Ateneo Art Awards are given to Filipino visual artists below the age of 36 for outstanding works in an exhibition.

Artriangle 3, National Art Gallery, Malaysia

2010-09-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

http://www.matahati-artriangle.blogspot.com/

Reflection at Bupyeong Arts Center, Korea

2010-09-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

The French art historian and sociologist, Pierre Francastel (1900-1970), regarded art space as not just an independent aesthetic, but also as a symbolic system of social space. Through the mirrors of contemporary art, the ‘The Reflections’ exhibition projects the stories of modern people and society. The word ‘reflection’ (which capture both an outward reflection of external influences, as well as an inward self-reflection) symbolizes how through the eyes of two different countries, we can see a different perspective or a ‘mirror image’ of our society. This project is an art exchange project hosted by ‘Art Space Plastic’ in Korea and ‘Project Space Pilipinas’ based in Manila Philippines, which bring together two teams of young artist from Korea and the Philippines through an international exhibition exchange, to create both their individual and collaborative works on the symbolic theme of a ‘house’, drawing upon the influences of their own country’s society and culture. For this exhibition, the artist from Korea and the Philippines spent a month together in each country and through their personal experiences and interaction with each other, expressed through their works, the ‘harmony’ of their two cultures.

One of the artists, Byung-Sung Koh, based his artwork ‘Ulingan’ on his personal experience of his visit to Ulingan, Tondon, an area alienated from the rest of Manila, Philippines. Through his installation work, the artist uses ‘light’ to symbolize the innocence of the young children he encountered there, where their pure and bright smiles are transposed into the bright colors of the rainbow, in contrast with the dark and harsh reality of their everyday lives. In the collaborative art installation piece titled ‘ZIP’, created by artist Byung-Sung Koh and Carlo Gabuco, the English title itself is based on the pronunciation of the Korean word for ‘house’ (‘jib’), which can also convey the meaning of ‘being compact’, suggesting a way in which we can look at both countries’ politics, religions and cultures. The two artists combined the archetypal buildings from each country, a Roman Catholic Church building from the Philippines and a traditional Korean-style house (‘hanok’) from Korea, to create a somewhat unusual looking house, inside of which a photo of the two artists can be seen, which shows a vivid scene of how we live our lives.

The collaboration piece titled ‘What is your dream house?’ by artist Ja-Yeon Kwon, Jin-Suk Che and Christopher Zamora, was based on a direct survey of Koreans and Filipinos, which asked people to describe their ‘dream house’. The artist used the survey to create either a drawing or an installation art piece of each person’s ‘dream house’. The artists from Korea, each with their own perspectives of a house’s shape and its amenities which have been shaped in the context of Korea’s own historical development, created the ‘dream house’ described in the Filipinos survey; similarly, the Filipino artists, each with their own notions of what a ‘house’ would look like, created their visualizations of how Koreans described their ‘dream houses’. The final outcomes of this process show houses whose designs demonstrate ingenuity in the artists’ achievement of creating harmony between the Philippines and Korea.

In his piece titled ‘Our universe’, artist Leslie de Chavez arranged hundreds of picture frames in rows, containing images of Filipino families. In the Philippines, where society is built on family values, the ‘house’ is a warm and emotional place where the family can be together in one place and as well as the driving force for pursuing one’s hopes, dreams and goals. Not only does each scene in a photo capture everyday family life, but it also reflects the country’s society and culture, a scene capturing the process of repetition and renewal of generations over time, their own small universe.

If we were to treat the above pieces as works, which represented a ‘house’ as an emotional space where ‘life’, ‘dreams’ and ‘family’ can flourish, then the piece titled ‘Magic Castle’ by artist Jun-Hee Han explores the representation of a ‘house’ as a snapshot of social structure. Through virtual reality, people today can create their space and house; in reality however, a ‘dream house’ is no different to any other illusion. The artist pushes himself beyond the limits of institutional boundaries and through his piece, reinterprets the meaning of a ‘house’ in a contemporary and satirical context by representing the ‘house’ as becoming just another ‘object of desire’ for people who are drifting endlessly through life. The ‘Magic Castle’ symbolizes the boundary between mainstream society and those excluded from it. Similar to a castle rampart, changes in politics, society and culture will only cause this barrier higher and higher.

The piece titled ‘Conversation’ is a large-scale collaboration which brings together the drawings of artist Mike Adrao with the media art of So-Young Lee and Ju-Yeon Lee. The artists discovered that the colonial past of the Philippines and Korea was a common denominator of their two nations’ histories and their collaboration piece used patterns representing the national identity and heritage of the two countries before the colonial period. These traditional patterns of the two countries will interact in harmony with visitors, whose movements will be visualized on a screen through motion drawing. This piece shows how art through images can overcome communication barriers formed by different languages and cultures, where drawings by a Filipino artist using traditional methods, can be complemented by two Korean artists creating media art using modern techniques, the combination of which amplifies the significance of this art pieces.

In her piece titled ‘Text-ring’, artist Ju-Yeon Lee explores the important role played by social networking website ‘Twitter’ in facilitating social interaction in modern society. Dealing with subject matters of ‘relationship’ and ‘communication’, visitors can type in their Twitter messages, which will then appear as a ‘text-ring’, creating a bond and communication link between the artist and the visitor. We are each a ring that links together with each other, and we surround ourselves with the links to other rings that we make throughout our lives. The rings that are linked to us today are not only the links we have made directly, but also there are links which we have formed in the past at random points in our lives; or there might be links which were not formed by us, but through the links of others. Although we may not feel that those who live in other parts of the world can matter to us, like blood capillaries, we are all actually connected to each other and to other societies.

Artist So-Young Lee captured on camera the scenes of the seaside in Subic, a 2-hour journey by car, North West of Manila. Her piece titled ‘Scenes of the seaside in Subic’, shows images, which like surrealist paintings, reflects the landscape of the Philippines, from the eyes of a stranger. Late one night, while she was walking along the seaside, she encountered a peaceful and natural scene before her, which felt so incredibly surreal and beautiful that it reminded her of the sharp contrast of the scenery to the harsh reality faced by some of the local people. The artist wants to convey with the affection she felt when she saw the sights of the Philippines, a message of hope that in the darkness, the moon will ever shine more brightly. (Park, Soyeon, Reflection Curator)

Carlo Gabuco at HOM Kuala Lumpur

2010-05-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Buntong Hininga at Silverlens Galleries

2010-05-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

Exchange Resident Artists and Curator 2010

2010-02-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

Korean artists, Kho Byongsung, Lee Soyoung, Lee Juyeon and curator Park Soyeon visited Manila, Philippines to conduct research for "Reflection", an artist-exchange and art-collaboration between Filipino and Korean artists.

Plastic Syndrome at Korean News

2010-01-26T06:34:00.000-08:00

Terracotta Artists at Work

2010-01-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

Plastic Syndrome (Art Space Plastic, 2009)

2010-01-25T07:29:00.000-08:00

'Plastic' comes from the Greek word "plastikos" which means to shape or to mold. We can relate some characteristics of plastic to our modern society for the fact that it can be molded or shaped into various forms with a wide variety of use and functions.

Plastic took its essential material position in this modern society less than 100 years ago. Whether we like it or not, we utilize it in many ways because of its convenient characteristics. It can be considered a ‘major key substance’ in modern civilization more than its being an industrial substance. Some scholars defined this period to be ‘the 4th civilization age’ or the ‘Plastic Age,’ succeeding Stone Age and the Iron Age. To date, plastics confront another phase as it becomes synonymous with environmental problems, but nevertheless, we cannot deny its function and advantages to our daily living.

‘Plastic Syndrome’ intends to create an opportunity to review and reinterpret modern living as a ‘plastic society’ through art. Some participating artists took advantage of plastic as a material-substance to create art works, while others makes use of it as a metaphor to express various aspects of modern ‘plastic’ society. Nonetheless, the world they see and tell about plastic society is not limited to the features of modern man and his surroundings, vain and lacking in sincerity. And thus, they have tried to explore the real meaning in modern life by relating through the peeled, transparent and sometime glossy quality of plastic.

Even if tons of plastic products are being used and thrown away daily, most of them are being recycled repeatedly through a recycling system. And this brings us to the question of whether its incessant recycling is beneficial to our daily lives. Right at this moment, many people for sure are using plastic, drinking from plastic bottles, typing using plastic keypads, listening from their plastic radios, etc. And definitely, tons of plastic wastes are also being carried out to plastic recycling factories at this moment to be given a new life, a new form and hopefully some of them would breathe again anew through some methods of art. (- Soyeon Park, Curator, Plastic Syndrome)

Participating Artists: Jinsuk Che, Soyeon Cho, Jayeon Kwon + Jiwon Shin, Shinjung Ryu, Christopher Zamora, Carlo Gabuco, Mike Adrao

NEAR Artists: Joe Geraldo and Israel Gonzales

2010-01-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

Roedil “Joe” Geraldo (b. 1969, Talisay City, Negros Occidental) studied fine arts major in advertising at the La Consolation College School of Architecture and Fine Arts, in Bacolod City. He had participated in numerous group exhibitions in the Visayas and in Manila as well, some notable exhibitions include “Sungduan” (traveling exhibition organized by NCCA) in 2000, “8th VIVA EXCON (Visayan Islands Visual Art Exhibit and Conference): Best of Negros” in 2004, “Hinugot sa Yutang Pula: 2nd Dumaguete Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition” Dumaguete City in 2007, and “Aramid” Pinto Gallery, Antipolo City, “Three Expressions in Terracotta” Total Gallery, Alliance Francaise de Manille, “Anyo” Art Informal in 2008. Joe Geraldo is a consistent finalist in the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards from 2003 to 2008, and an awardee of several sculpture and painting competitions in the region. Conscientiously producing massive pieces in two and three-dimensional forms, he had held six solo exhibitions including “Oras 1” La Salle Museum, Bacolod City, in 1996, “Time 2” Negros Museum, Bacolod City, in 2001, “Halad sa Duta” Kaida Gallery, Quezon City, in 2007 and his most recent, “Putik” Negros Museum, Bacolod City, in 2008.

Israel Mark Gonzales (b. 1984, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental) graduated at La Consolation College School of Architecture and Fine Arts, Bacolod City, major in painting in 2006. He was finalist at the Shell National Student Art Competition in 2005, 2004 and semifinalist at the Metrobank Foundation’s Art and Design Excellence (MADE) National Competition also in 2004. He had attended various art-related workshops including “Art Barrage: Young Artists Discovery” sponsored by the Metrobank Foundation Inc. and Black Artists in Asia in 2003, and “Negros Museum Summer Creative Art Workshop” in Bacolod City in 2005. Some of notable group exhibitions he had participated include “8th VIVA EXCON (Visayan Islands Visual Art Exhibit and Conference): Best of Negros” in 2004, “Pasidungog,” Orange Gallery in 2005, “9th VIVA EXCON: Punias” Samar, Leyte in 2006, “2nd Dumaguete Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition” Dumaguete in 2007, and “Three Expressions in Terracotta” Total Gallery, Alliance Francaise de Manille, in 2008.

2010-01-25T06:09:00.000-08:00

PSP NEAR Open Studio: Mike Adrao

2009-09-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

BEYOND RECOGNITION
Familiarity as a Stranger in Our Midst

Mike Adrao sees. He sees apparent truths accepted by Filipinos. He sees the irony of being lost in a simple yet ugly reality. He sees and tells the story.

A contemporary artist from Marikina, Mike does not dabble but sketches with such precision and tenacity using pen and ink. Textures come to life eliciting sometimes hair-raising reactions about the social ills of this country. The falsity of colors disguising skills and critical thinking is absent in his works and in its place is a masterful manipulation of shades and tones. Monochromatic renderings they may be, but bland they are not. Each product of his insightful psyche is a well-orchestrated drama of despair, mockery, and rebellion against accepted dimensions of truth.

“(Ka)MaCHO” is an imagery of a faceless man sitting naked on his throne with the conventional angel-versus-demon struggle influencing him. Where his genitalia should be is a blank space and a big gash removing all his biological indications of masculinity is clearly seen. The hypocrisy in the macho mentality of the population is in question here. Him holding an elegant tiara is the standard men use to define beauty. The creature on his right explains the continuous restraint to his bloody fist of violence. However, the one on the left fuels his tendency to assert his machismo. Worth noting also is the resemblance of his wound on his chest to the alibata symbol for the letter “P”. It being related to “Pilipino”, we cannot tell with certainty. “Do AS YoU WiLL” is subtitled “ReFLeCTiON – AFTeR FriDA” for a distinct reason. It combines the elements of a Frida Kahlo surrealism, the harrowing silhouette of the Virgin Mary, and the obscenity of a love doll possessing the face of a conservative woman. Filipinas are likened to the image of the Holy Mother and evolved into the Maria Clara stereotype of a pious and conservative female some time in the past. However, recent role mutations imply the opposite. Playing with gender issues, the artist once again explains the complexity of the essence of womanhood – that which is not isolated from changes. The connection between love and a woman's sexuality is further explored as gleaned in the pseudo-umbilical cord in the hand of the doll and the heart of another.

From issues on sex, directly resulting are the religious overtones hibernating in the psychology of the Filipinos. The constant conflicts with taboo concerns as defined by the church remains embedded in our everyday lives. “Krus”, for example, reveals the inner workings of the Filipino mind. Eerie contours expose the image of a crucified man related to the central figure of Christianity within the bloated head of another man. This suggests the perpetual content of a common tao's mind. Every act becomes guided not merely by sincere respect for but a true fear of the cross. “SaMBAHiN_TaDTARiN” is about the marriage of religious fanaticism, localized based on existing cultures prior to the Spanish conquest, and motivated by Western influences. Somewhat straddling along the same line is “INFLuENZiA AmERiKaNA” depicting the Filipino statesman in his true color unmasked and exposing a truly American attachment to secular gain through unabated capitalism. In his head is the puppet master far more powerful than the host while his position in the social strata is forever secured by roots penetrating the deepest crevices of public influences. “INSeRTiON” reminds us of the picturesque portrait of a former dictator and his first lady. Concealed behind their royal façade is an entanglement of serpents portending treachery while a gigantic coat of arms of the United States act as background. This emphasizes the convoluted play of power in the grand scale where the ingenuous is left in limbo. Concluding his discourse on the corruption of our entire society is “RePuBLiKA Cha CHA ChA!” Here, past, present, and future are cleverly represented through peeks at Charter change’s history and its consequence. The leftmost tableau is a hint of past attempts to modify the fundamental law of the land for the benefit of a few. In the middle is the representation of the bourgeoisie with snakes for heads as if telling the story of politicians shifting loyalties whenever convenient to them. The last scene paints a disconcerting possibility of tragedies and suffering.

In this collection he calls TROMA, Mike now explores the use of charcoal on most of his twenty-four by thirty-six-inch works. He regards his craft as a reflection of his continuing search for identity and the replacement of it by other symbols surrounding him. Incidentally, external stimuli demonstrate to him paths he takes to define his self. All these serve as diurnal entries in visual form occasionally removing heads signaling his being lost in his discoveries. This therapy for him remains a gift for others to vicariously experience for it offers them an almost reliable second person point-of-view by finding familiarity in the strange.

Mike Adrao majored in painting at the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts in 1998. He had participated in some notable group exhibitions, including “Ang Delatang Pinoy: Yes, the Filipino Can!” at Hiraya Gallery and “Mula Filibustero Hanggang Kay Marimar” at UP Vargas Museum in 1996. He was also among the selected artists for the “Young Artists Discovery Series” of Hiraya Gallery where he mounted "Verses" in 1997. His other group exhibitions include “Crossroads” at the Australian Center in 1998, “Songs of Renewal” at Casa San Miguel in Zambales in 1999, “Recent Works 4” and “Urbanisasyon” at Kulay Diwa Art Galleries in 2003. He also participated in MATAHATI’s second fundraising exhibition “Artriangle” at Soka Gakkai in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2008. Just recently, Mike Adrao finished his artist residency at Project Space Pilipinas’ Neo-Emerging Artist Residency (NEAR Manila). He is currently taking part in two art projects in Korea—a group exhibition in Art Space Plastic titled “Plastic Syndrome,” and “Reflections,” an artist exchange between Korea and the Philippines.

Mike Adrao struggles to discover himself and in the process is exposed to molds shaping the individual. Along the way, confusion sets in resulting in the loss of the definite self but this does not warrant giving in. He strives to find and to know even at the price of facing himself with more uncertainty for seeing is not selective. It does not discern between what one likes or fears. Like his art, the resultant feeling is an inevitable consequence of what is seen and sometimes the bitter sight is the only answer one holds. (Lloyd C. Llaga)

GLOBALALIEN Performance/Presentation

2009-07-13T04:52:00.001-07:00

Exhibit opening at Finale Art Gallery

2009-06-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

NEAR Resident Artist: Mike Adrao

2009-05-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

Michael Alvin Adrao (b. 1973) studied fine arts major in painting at the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts in 1998. He had participated in some notable group exhibitions, including “Ang Delatang Pinoy: Yes, the Filipino Can!” at Hiraya Gallery and “Mula Filibustero Hanggang Kay Marimar” in 1996. Mike Adrao was also among the selected artists for the “Young Artists Discovery Series” of Hiraya Gallery where he mounted "Verses" in 1997. His other group exhibitions include “Crossroads” at the Australian Center in 1998, “Songs of Renewal” at Casa San Miguel in Zambales in 1999, “Recent Works 4” and “Urbanisasyon” at Kulay Diwa Art Galleries in 2003. He also participated in MATAHATI’s second fundraising exhibition “Artriangle” at Soka Gakkai in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2008. Mike Adrao will be NEAR Manila resident artist from May to August, 2009.

Solo Exhibition: Christopher Zamora

2009-05-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

Project Space Pilipinas proudly presents “Sorrowful Mysteries,” a collection of new paintings by former NEAR Manila resident artist Christopher Zamora.

Taking its title from one of the four mysteries of the Holy Rosary, “Sorrowful Mysteries” at its clear-cut representation, reflects upon the current social and spiritual conditions in the Philippines. Being one of the largest Catholic nations in Asia, it goes without saying that faith plays a vital role in the daily lives of Filipinos. Religion in the Philippines is not something practiced only once a week, but rather a force governing everyday lives. Making the sign of the cross prior to almost every important undertaking carried out is as natural as hoping for best outcomes. Personal prayers are often whispered between breaths for good luck and guidance when embarking on a journey or making important decisions that may change lives. Indeed, the Catholic faith in the Philippines is the same divine energy that offers direction and confidence to the common people to survive through the day.

As Zamora noted, the idea of “Sorrowful Mysteries” originally stemmed out from his body of work that tackles various human struggles to escape the harsh realities brought about by poverty. Regardless of the continuing global economic predicament everyone faces, depression in the country is a commonplace image explicitly manifested in our daily actions. Many Filipinos are still hoping for instant relief from indigence through different ways such as playing the lotto or joining games and reality shows on TV. Church goers are growing consistently as life gets tougher everyday. Many are praying harder, wishing for miracles and solution to their seemingly endless destitution.

Christopher Zamora studied Fine Arts at the Philippine Women’s University in 1998, majoring in painting. In 2002, he bagged the 3rd prize in the oil category of Metrobank Foundation’s Annual Painting Competition. His solo exhibitions include “Everybody Wants to Feel Better” at Kulay Diwa Gallery in 2003, “Silip” at Boston Gallery in 2005, “Ordinary” at Blanc Space Gallery in 2007 and “Infectious” at West Gallery in 2009. Christopher Zamora has participated in some notable group exhibitions like “Emo” at Boston Gallery in 2001, “Ignorance is Bliss” at Kulay Diwa Gallery in 2003, “2nd Hand Smoke” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2006, “Art Triangle” at Soka Gakkai in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and “Tenggara: Recent Paintings from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines” at Novas Gallery in Liverpool, UK in 2008. He was a NEAR Manila resident artist in 2008.

Sorrowful Mysteries will run until May 16, 2009.

Kissing the Methods

2009-05-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

“In the works presented for the show, Angki no longer speaks about photography. Instead he expands his ideas on to the attempt at finding/creating objects within their new environments. The environment here can be referred to as the context that moves according to the age. So he combines particular natural elements with plastic—as one of the most amazing human creation of the century—and playing with it” (Nuraini Juliastuti).

Technology is inherent in all human works. A human-made thing I think will never reach its final stage. It will continue to morph until it finally finds its perfect post to let the people to react to it. Monalisa, for example, has always been an inspiration and source to be explored. Likewise, Che Guevara and Jesus Christ (and the Cross) have proved to be everlasting images.

Looking from this perspective, I do admire some works that I think are beautifully successful in marking the age of humanity. They—among others-are Nam Jun Paik: Electronic Opera no.1-1969, Nobuyoshi Araki: Sur-sentimentalist Manifest-1970, Damien Hirst: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living-1992, Djoko Pekik: Berburu Celeng-1998, Mella Jaarsmaa: Hi Inlander (Hello native) 1998-1999, Agung Kurniawan: Sketch for Museum of Misunderstandings-2008.

They have invented genuine expression in examining local situations and responding them. The outcomes are often sensational narrativities. Living in today Indonesia, I feel like trapping in delusional fantasies that heavily shielded the real stories and experiences of the people until the real meanings are evaporating and gone to nothingness.

Kissing the Methods are the results of the acts of revising and updating towards the dynamic relation of Indonesian visual arts (that is arrogant and strict) and the audience. What else? – Angki Purbandono

Kissing The Methods, May 9 - 23, 2009
Richard Koh Fine Art, Solaris Mont' Kiara

No.7-1, Jalan Solaris 3, Solaris Mont' Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur, www.rkfineart.com

Korean Artists Open Studio

2009-04-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

NEAR Manila resident artist Jinsuk Che together with two other Korean collaborators Youngeun Lee (theater artist) and Byongoh Ko (sound artist) opened the Project Space Pilipinas' studio last February 4, 2009. Jinsuk Che installed a couple of lighted lamps from her installation project "Air Castle" and a video projection of her collaborative project "Sonagi: Fading World." Youngeun Lee on the other hand created a map on the wall that locates and documents various places they visited and people they have met during their stay in Manila, while Byongoh Ko produced a sound piece made from noise recordings collected outside the studio.

NEAR Resident Artist: Cris de Leon

2009-04-08T04:13:00.000-07:00

Concrete X is an inquiry to concrete conditions underlying the shape of the life of urban Philippines, in an attempt to have concrete basis for artistic production.

Crisanto de Leon (b. 1981, Manila) graduated at the Philippine Women’s University, BFA in Painting in 2006. He had participated in numerous group exhibitions since 2002 including “Recent Works 4” Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, “Deklarasyon” Cubicle Gallery in 2004, “My Personal Saviour” UP Corridor Gallery in 2005, and “Boxed” Big Sky Mind Alternative Space in 2006. He is an active member of TUTOK Artists Initiative and plays guitar for BYSTORM, a hardcore band based in Manila.

Preview: MATAHATI Kemata Dunia

2009-04-08T03:46:00.000-07:00

Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Bayu Utomo Radjikin,
Hamir Soib @ Mohamed, Masnoor Ramli Mahmud

Friday, 10 April 2009, 8.30 PM
at Galeri Chandan,15, Jalan Gelenggang,
Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur

Exhibit will run until 25 April 2009
www.matahatikematadunia.com

NEAR Resident Artist: Jinsuk Che

2009-04-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

"Variety of narratives about life can be found behind my works. They are often motivated by the definite and the essential in life. The idea of “origin” fascinates me. I constantly muse about the mystery of birth, life and death. As a point of departure in many of my works, I often ask, where do I begin? Where do I go from here? When and how will it end?

This concern also allows me to explore deeper into ideas such as creation and extinction, it makes me wonder how all our lives are connected or inter-connected to each other, why we are created, what we hope, and what we desire in living. I believe that to desire, to hope and to aspire is very human. It exists everywhere, all the time."

Jinsuk Che (b. 1979) is a media artist based in Seoul, South Korea. She is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Digital Media Design, Media Technology at the So-Gang University in Seoul. Jinsuk is the director of “Art Space Plastic” an independent artist-run space located within the compound of her family’s plastic recycling factory.

Guesstimates: Ranelle Dial

2009-03-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

“Man is the measure of all things.” As early as two-and-a-half thousand years ago, our anthropomorphic bias—that we, as humans, are the final arbiters of the value of our surroundings—appeared in the words of Protogoras, the first of the Greek sophists. That idea remains central as well in post-modernism which, as one modern philosopher John Gray has noted, holds that there is no such thing as nature, only the floating world of our own constructions. In short, we decide what is real and what is not.

In Ranelle Dial’s exhibition, ‘Guesstimate,’ the artworks depicts and examines hand gestures that express an approximation of values as commonly used in conversation, especially among Filipinos. Without exactly holding or relying from a planned or fixed system of measurement, it is a widely used and accepted form of communication in face-to-face discussion. The term, “tantsahan,” is used to connote this approximation, a colloquial system that is less ideographic and ironically less abstract in thought than written language.

Much like classical Chinese script (which has been described by A.C. Graham as a “combination of graphic wealth with phonetic poverty”), it denotes no Form as bodiless as Plato’s the Good, the Bad and the True—terms that designated spiritual or intellectual entities. (Much of the wars and genocides throughout history were fought in the service of these abstractions.) Unlike that, the use of hand gestures is decidedly nominalist i.e. the recognition that these are only labels, names for the diversity of things in the world. It is this kind of understanding that illuminates Chinese philosophy, wherein their thinkers have rarely mistaken ideas for facts.

‘Guesstimate’ is not abstract, though it does not represent values as seemingly accurate as phonetic language. It places a premium in a form of communication that still recalled and engaged the realm of the senses; illuminating our proper place, not at the center of our world, but as a member of its audience to which we only have the barest hint of the narrative’s script. (Erwin Romulo)

Guesstimates: Ranelle Dial
West Gallery, West Ave. Q.C.
26 February to 26 March 2009

Happy Birthday Bobi V!

2009-03-01T02:58:00.000-08:00

Bobi Valenzuela on being a curator.

Infectious: Christopher Zamora

2009-02-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

Urbanization in the country today is escalating in an inevitable degree due to the immense proliferation of popular media such as the television, radio, magazines, and the internet. It has subjected loads of young people to a consumerist “what’s hot and trendy” lifestyle, transforming them into a massive agent of popular culture. Despite the worsening extent of poverty in the country, these young people still seek the importance of being identified as a citizen of the modern world, thus creating a culture of “show-offs.” Their intake of countless popular symbols, icons, music, language, style and fashion represent a kind of ideology, a defense or protection for survival.

The variety of emblems they carry, be it emo, punk or bling-bling clearly defines the group they want to be classified, and such grouping has spelled greater influence on the development or decay of their psychological and intellectual maturity. The effects of socio-economic instability, rapid developments in mass media and technology, has caused adverse consequences in the behavior of the youth, engaging themselves to risky activities such as smoking, drinking, drug use, gang wars, sex and violence.

Infectious magnifies images of young people who incessantly reinvents and replicates identities as an aid to conceal and liberate spirits.

Infectious
West Gallery
26.2-26.3,2009

Charlie Co: Images in Black

2009-02-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

Bacolod artist Charlie Co, known for his vibrant and loud colors in his oil on canvas paintings, experiments this time on large-scale drawings done in charcoal on paper in his upcoming show “IMAGES IN BLACK” at Gallery Orange. Using charcoal as his medium, this style is new to Co, but he still achieves in his story-telling in the images in his latest artworks as he always does in oil paintings.

Images in Black opens on Feb. 6 at 6pm. Show will run until Feb. 15. Gallery Orange is located at the 2nd Flr., Lopue’s Annex Bldg, Mandalagan. For more details, please contact Carmel at 7090604 or email gallery.orange@yahoo.com.

NEAR Manila Artists-In-Residence 2009

2009-01-12T15:41:00.000-08:00

Project Space Pilipinas is proud to present the roster of selected artists for the Neo-Emerging Artists-in-Residence, Manila 2009.

Jinsuk Che (b. 1979, Seoul, Korea) is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Digital Media Design, Media Technology at the So-Gang University in Seoul, South Korea. She holds an MS in Art and Technology at Chung-Ang University in 2005 and BFA in painting at the Sung-Kyun-Kwan University, in 2002. Jinsuk had her first solo exhibition in 2005 titled “Behind Story_Teasing,” a multi-media exhibition she presented during her residency at the International Artists Studio Program, Korea (IASK Goyang) of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea. The following year, she was selected for the OCAT International Artist Residency in Shenzhen, China, where she had her second solo exhibition titled “Project Utopia in China: Dream in Shenzhen” at He Xiangning Art Museum. Other residencies she participated include, Nakatue Village Art Camp, Oita, Japan in 2002 and AFI Seoksu Market Project, Anyang, Korea in 2007. In 2008, she had two solo exhibitions, “Air Castle” at Kwanhoon Gallery and “Project SONAGI: Fading World,” a media and performance collaboration at Moonshin Museum, Seoul. Jinsuk has been participating in several new media and public art group exhibitions since 2002, some notable exhibitions include “Pleasure Factory” Seoul Museum of Art and “Book Resembles People, People Resembles Books” Kumho Museum, 2003, “Bikini in Winter” Alternative Space Loop, Seoul and “Great Expectation” OCAT Art Terminal, Shenzhen, China, 2006, “Wild animals go to the city” Seoul Culture and Art Foundation, 2007 and “Media Roleplaying: Relativity” Incheon Media Art Festival 2008, Pupyung History Museum, Incheon, Korea. Just recently, she opened “Art Space Plastic” an independent artist-run space located within the compound of her family’s plastic recycling factory.

Crisanto de Leon (b. 1981, Manila) graduated at the Philippine Women’s University, BFA in Painting in 2006. He had participated in numerous group exhibitions since 2002 including “Recent Works 4” Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, “Deklarasyon” Cubicle Gallery in 2004, “My Personal Saviour” UP Corridor Gallery in 2005, and “Boxed” Big Sky Mind Alternative Space in 2006. Cris had also joined some notable group exhibitions which include “Mga Pahina’t Kwadro Alay sa Manggagawa” Liongoren Art Gallery, “Boxed Exhibit 2007” Cultural Center of the Philippines, “Tutok Kasaysayang: Unang Yugto” Glorietta Artspace Makati in 2007. In 2008, he exhibited in “Boys Don’t Cry” Nineveh Artspace, “Wrong number” Big and Small Art Gallery, and “TutoKKK” Blanc Gallery in Makati City. He is an active member of TUTOK Artists Initiative and plays guitar for BYSTORM, a hardcore band based in Manila.

Michael Alvin Adrao (b. 1973) studied fine arts major in painting at the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts in 1998. He had participated in some notable group exhibitions, including “Ang Delatang Pinoy: Yes, the Filipino Can!” at Hiraya Gallery and “Mula Filibustero Hanggang Kay Marimar” in 1996. Mike Adrao was also among the selected artists for the “Young Artists Discovery Series” of Hiraya Gallery where he mounted "Verses" in 1997. His other group exhibitions include “Crossroads” at the Australian Center in 1998, “Songs of Renewal” at Casa San Miguel in Zambales in 1999, “Recent Works 4” and “Urbanisasyon” at Kulay Diwa Art Galleries in 2003. He also participated in MATAHATI’s second fundraising exhibition “Artriangle” at Soka Gakkai in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2008.

Roedil “Joe” Geraldo (b. 1969, Talisay City, Negros Occidental) studied fine arts major in advertising at the La Consolation College School of Architecture and Fine Arts, in Bacolod City. He had participated in numerous group exhibitions in the Visayas and in Manila as well, some notable exhibitions include “Sungduan” (traveling exhibition organized by NCCA) in 2000, “8th VIVA EXCON (Visayan Islands Visual Art Exhibit and Conference): Best of Negros” in 2004, “Hinugot sa Yutang Pula: 2nd Dumaguete Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition” Dumaguete City in 2007, and “Aramid” Pinto Gallery, Antipolo City, “Three Expressions in Terracotta” Total Gallery, Alliance Francaise de Manille, “Anyo” Art Informal in 2008. Joe Geraldo is a consistent finalist in the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards from 2003 to 2008, and an awardee of several sculpture and painting competitions in the region. Conscientiously producing massive pieces in two and three-dimensional forms, he had held six solo exhibitions including “Oras 1” La Salle Museum, Bacolod City, in 1996, “Time 2” Negros Museum, Bacolod City, in 2001, “Halad sa Duta” Kaida Gallery, Quezon City, in 2007 and his most recent, “Putik” Negros Museum, Bacolod City, in 2008.

Israel Mark Gonzales (b. 1984, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental) graduated at La Consolation College School of Architecture and Fine Arts, Bacolod City, major in painting in 2006. He was finalist at the Shell National Student Art Competition in 2005, 2004 and semifinalist at the Metrobank Foundation’s Art and Design Excellence (MADE) National Competition also in 2004. He had attended various art-related workshops including “Art Barrage: Young Artists Discovery” sponsored by the Metrobank Foundation Inc. and Black Artists in Asia in 2003, and “Negros Museum Summer Creative Art Workshop” in Bacolod City in 2005. Some of notable group exhibitions he had participated include “8th VIVA EXCON (Visayan Islands Visual Art Exhibit and Conference): Best of Negros” in 2004, “Pasidungog,” Orange Gallery in 2005, “9th VIVA EXCON: Punias” Samar, Leyte in 2006, “2nd Dumaguete Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition” Dumaguete in 2007, and “Three Expressions in Terracotta” Total Gallery, Alliance Francaise de Manille, in 2008.

2nd NEAR Artist-in-Residence: Christopher Zamora

2008-11-05T01:17:00.000-08:00

Introspection can never exist in a vacuum. The slightest twitching of the senses from outside stimuli is what inspires Christopher Zamora to believe so. His raw manipulation of light and dark on canvas bleeds power by exposing sharp realities that seem banal at first glance. Silip is emphatically shouting of dependence on the hypnosis by technology while Pasang-Krus presents the mirage of a Western “skaterboy” culture and the menial tasks unique to Filipino experiences. With them, the individual now becomes the extension of ideas beyond their explicit actions and opens an internal debate shying away from plain sight.

The contrition of the soul is manifest in the charade of the body in the piece Action and Reaction by demonstrating anguish after a torturous affair. This pain is a common compounding of the personal and social issues in play in every subject of Zamora’s work. Although in chaos, they are perfect images of the symphony of problems and escape harbored within the common individual.

They are indeed two-dimensional yet the depths of every stroke placed on these static contrivances convey a dare. They are challenges to examine and continually reexamine life without the trappings of norms built by stubborn beliefs and acceptances. Some may even have the arrogant conviction that they are staring at the images but the converse may also be true. These colors on textile gaze back like a mirror soaked with our own reflections to ask who we truly are as a people and as sentient persons. http://chzamora108.multiply.com (Art Staring Back by Lloyd Capilit Llaga)

Leslie de Chavez: Banana Republic

2008-11-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

The gallery Avanthay Contemporary, Zurich proudly presents the work of the Philippine artist, Leslie de Chavez (*1978, Manila), in his solo exhibition entitled "Banana Republic".

"The state of the nation wasn't to be found in the words, it was to be found in the images." (Conrado de Quiros, columnist, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 30th July, 2008)

The Philippines proudly call itself a democratic country. The reality is in fact different. According to recent studies and surveys, the Philippines are one of the most corrupt countries in all of Asia. The World Bank estimates that over two billion US dollars go missing yearly due to corruption. And the corruption is growing incessantly year for year. Political murders, disappearances of people, offences against human rights, fraud, theft and violence are ever increasing. Seldom does the government take action to stop these offences. The president Gloria Macapal Arroyo has withstood two separate impeachment hearings, diverse corruption scandals and accusations of elections result manipulation. Corruption has reached such extraordinary proportions that many Philippines existences have been destroyed due to the continuing decay of the social and political situation there.

With this exhibit, "Banana Republic", artist Leslie de Chavez would like to raise awareness of these abuses that have occurred in his country. For Chavez the symbol of the banana in his title "Banana Republic" is significant. The symbol of the banana re-appears in an aggrandized or inflated state, indicative of the corruption it may represent. The dusk atmosphere in his images is evoked not only through his subject matter, but also through the color of his canvas; Chavez paints on black linen. His style evokes images of the German-American artist, graphic designer und Caricaturist George Grosz (1893-1959) who became known for his critical depiction of society in his paintings and drawings. Similar to Grosz, Chavez provokes and criticizes with and through his work. In his painting titled "The medium is the message", Chavez quotes Media Theorist Marshall McLuhan, author of the famous book with the same title, which Chavez read during his studies. "The medium is the message" stands for the symbols or the elements in his painting, such as for example fish bones, the basket with the bananas or the camera. These symbols represent attributes of a figure or of an image. The message of these symbols is, however, directed not only towards the figure it represents but also and most especially towards the viewer. www.avanthaycontemporary.com (- Simone Toellner, Avanthay Contemporary)

Landscape Architecture: Ji-sun Shin & Jin-suk Che

2008-06-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

“ All kinds of buildings talk something in one way or another. Furthermore they talk about themes that can be classified easily. They talk about democracy, aristocracy, opening, haughtiness, illusion or threat, sympathy of the future or longing for the past ”
- The architecture of happiness , Alain de Botton

We are influenced by our circumstances. Thinking reversely, this space in which we are living is the reflection of our culture, thought, and our time. Familiar landscapes composed by the skyscrapers, high buildings, apartments, and roads connecting cities to the other cities are similar to the structure of modern society which is being networked.

Even in the 1990’s, buildings more than 16 floors could be prescribed as ultra high buildings in Korea, but nowadays the buildings over 35 floors can be classified ultra high ones. And what does the landscape of the cities going to the sky incessantly talk to us?

‘The Architecture Landscape’ is going to be held from 6th June to 30 June in ‘Art Space Plastic’ located in Jakjeon-dong, Incheon city. The exposition is going to be sponsored by Incheon Culture Fund and Jinyoung Plastic co. The artists are going to show us the reinterpreted works of the landscapes and histories of the old town and the new town from the point of artist’s view. These two artists are interpreting the same district very differently each other, and they are trying to show paintings, photos, drawings in carious shapes, and by doing so they also try to transform and extend the concepts of existing landscape.

Shin Jisun’s works take a starting point from a trivial observation of existing concrete places, or ordinary things. And the she takes out truly unawared stories by probing into daily life. We can divided spaces into two parts: a visible physical space, and communal or regional space that is invisible but really existing one. The familiar landscapes of modern society expressed in Shin’s works are restored toe the epistemological space from the physical one. The monotonous and deeply individual space of ‘apartment’ is transformed into the dynamic and organic space that is communicating with the universe. The collected brand logos of the apartments from Incheon area are reborned as collage works containing the new history if Kyesan-dong. And the series of drawings ‘the way of applicating roadside trees’ are works by reinterpreting the roadside trees arbitrarily. Also they present various ways of life co-relating with our physical surroundings.

Che Jinsuk is talking consistently the ambition to ‘successes’ by the image of ‘castle’. The European palaces of fables and cartoons of Disney Land are always exist with us as a wedding hall, villas, motels, grand marts as well as kindergarten, toy shop, playing ground. The alien architectures different from spaces of our modern cities are offering awkward landscapes, even though they are taking palaces deeply into our daily life and as a cultural landscape of this era. They are the obscure longing objects from our childhood and maybe the mirages of the ‘utopia’ dreamed by stereotyped and dreary modern society. The artist was seeking for messages of hope from the gorgeous images of the castles, and she is talking about the lust for success incessantly. She is trying to talk about the stories about plain wishes that can come true or not through installation and video, performances, and paintings.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Ji-sun Shin and Jin-suk Che
June 6 to 30, 2008, Art Space Plastic
Incheon City, South Korea

POINT-BLANK: Carlo Acerden Gabuco

2008-06-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

In this exhibit, Carlo Acerden Gabuco vicariously magnified in his paintings commonplace images depicting issues of power, everyday violence, misguided faith, juvenile pains and desires.

Likening his works to larger-than-life advertisements and tarpaulins, Gabuco expresses his view of everyday social ills in a grand scale as a counter propaganda while emulating their ordinariness to those gigantic images installed along highways and malls.

Point-blank is an unsettling and yet uncompromised presentation of what has become a seemingly “normal” realities accepted by many Filipinos. Instead of presenting the ideal, the good and the beautiful, Gabuco disconcertingly challenge the viewers to a “point-blank” questioning of the self and their position to issues surrounding us.

Born in Laguna, Philippines, in 1981, Carlo Gabuco studied fine arts major in painting at the Philippine Women’s University. He has joined a number of notable exhibitions since 2001 and was also a finalist in various art competitions including the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards 2007, the Metrobank Young Painter’s Annual 2002 and Nokia Art Competition in 2000. He was an artist-in-residence and art lecturer at the CASA San Miguel Foundation, Center for the Arts, in San Antonio, Zambales in 2007. At present, Carlo is the first artist-in-residence at the Project Space Pilipinas, an independent art-based project space for young emerging contemporary artists.

POINT-BLANK : Carlo Acerden Gabuco
April 24 to May 25, 2008
Pasilyo Vicente Manansala
Cultural Center of the Philippines

NEAR Manila Artist-in-Residence: Carlo Gabuco

2007-12-06T23:40:00.000-08:00

I have gained significant insights about my personal views and experiences of the contemporary life upon fully engaging myself in art. I have occupied myself drawing tensions among issues affecting and influencing our everyday lives by synthesizing personal and popular icons, contemporary expressions and imagery in my paintings. Referencing on the visual imagery of today’s culture, I sought to play on the notion of how we are being shaped by modern society to a newly-designed passive way of living.

Project Space Pilipinas Now Open!

2007-12-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce the opening of Project Space Pilipinas, an independent space/platform for young emerging contemporary artists. PSP is located at No.11 Arayat Street, Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines. This platform is envisioned to be a resource center and a springboard for many significant art events and happenings in and out of the country.

PSP's major program is the Neo-Emerging Artists Residency (NEAR Manila). With its initial outset in Seoul, South Korea in 2005, the NEAR Manila program aims to provide young artists a space for developing artistic endeavors, networks, exchanges, discourses and innovative art projects. The program is open for application to all local and international artists.

Asian Contemporary Art Fair Hits New York City: Filipino Painter's Work Highlighted in Seoul-based Gallery

2007-12-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Momar Visaya/Asianjournal.com
21 November 2007

NEW YORK -- The first-ever Asian Contemporary Art Fair debuted at Pier 92 on the Hudson River from November 8 to 12 and enticed more than 20,000 guests during the four-day affair.

The fair featured 76 exhibitors from 10 different countries and the top galleries from the international art market. Hundreds of artists, both young and old, from different Asian countries such as China, India, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam participated.

In the midst of them all stood Leslie de Chavez, the lone Filipino painter, represented by Arario, an art gallery based in Seoul.

De Chavez’s work, alongside Korean artist Hyung Koo Kang’s dominated Arario’s booth at the exhibit. Kang’s huge, monochromatic portraits featured fellow artists, such as Auguste Rodin, which was one of the paintings on display. De Chavez’s work, depicting women, shared the limelight.

De Chavez’s paintings focus on “unique Filipino scenes, culture and history,” according to Jeeah Choi, Arario Gallery’s curator.

“His paintings are dark — literally, since he begins each work by painting the canvas black,” Choi explained.

Two of his paintings at the fair are unusual, because, as the New York Sun described it as “mildly — and, no doubt, ironically — pornographic”.

One was called “Lilly”, a schoolgirl, wearing a T-shirt with an image of Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn”. The racy painting had Lilly pulling up her skirt to reveal her lacy underwear.

The other one, called “Asian Wave”, shows a pair of naked women with the words “here 2 stay”.

De Chavez held a solo exhibit earlier this year in Beijing and Seoul where most of his paintings were sold. Next year, Arario will bring a solo exhibition of his new works to Switzerland. Plans were also being made to bring some of his paintings to the newly opened Arario Gallery, a 20,000-square-foot space on West 25th Street.

De Chavez is currently based in the Philippines. He stayed in Korea for a year as part of the Neo-Emerging Artists residency. He graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Mao

Six life-size statues of Mao Zedong made of shiny stainless steel by Guangci greet visitors at the exhibition’s entrance. Ken Johnson of the New York Times noted his reappearance in works by some of the artists in the exhibit was noted by.

“The vaguely mocking way he is so frequently represented in contemporary Chinese art hints at a deeper post-traumatic anxiety and, perhaps, an urge to exorcise him,” Johnson said.

Billed as the first international art fair to focus exclusively on contemporary Asian art, the exhibit had collectors, artists, dealers and art-lovers during the four-day affair.

There was also a special 26-artist group exhibition organized by the independent curators Eric C. Shiner and Lilly Wei called Simulasian: Refiguring ‘Asia’ for the 21st Century. It aimed to examine “the ways in which today’s artists are questioning, and enlarging, the definition of ‘Asian-ness.’” (www.asianjournal.com)

Asian Art Heads to Its Own Fair

2007-12-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

By KATE TAYLOR
The New York Sun
November 8, 2007

Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to hold an art fair in New York devoted exclusively to Asian contemporary art. Now, it is not only thinkable — someone has done it. The inaugural Asian Contemporary Art Fair opens tonight at Pier 92, with 76 galleries participating: 53 from Asia and the rest from America and Europe. And while it remains to be seen how the fair will do financially, for New Yorkers it's a great opportunity to see a cross section of work by Asian artists living around the world.

There is some sculpture, video, photography, and mixed media, but by far the dominant medium in the fair is painting. Goedhuis Contemporary, from New York, is showing "Number 1" by Ma Liuming, from a series of paintings of the artist's young son. In the 1990s in Beijing, Mr. Ma became famous for his performance art pieces, but he has recently returned to painting.

The booth of the Korean gallery Arario is dominated by large canvases by Leslie de Chavez, a young Filipino artist, and Hyung Koo Kang, from Korea. Mr. Kang does huge, monochromatic portraits, many of them of artistic celebrities. One of the paintings on display is of Auguste Rodin.

Mr. Chavez's paintings are meditations on his country's history, and its (in his view) mindless absorption of the culture of its conquerors. His paintings are dark — literally, since he begins each work by painting the canvas black. Two of the paintings at the fair are unusual in his oeuvre for being mildly — and, no doubt, ironically — pornographic. One shows a Filipino schoolgirl, her breasts poking through a T-shirt with an image of Warhol's "Marilyn," pulling up her skirt to reveal her lacy underpants. The other shows a pair of naked women, posed seductively, with the words "here 2 stay" written like a tattoo.

This Saturday, Arario is opening a 20,000-square-foot space on West 25th Street, with a group exhibition that includes top-selling Chinese artists such as Fang Lijun, Yue Minjun, and Zhang Xiaogang. A curator at the gallery, Jeeah Choi, said that Arario planned the opening to coincide both with the fair and with the postwar and contemporary art auctions next week.

The major Asian galleries in the fair are all Korean, which may have something to do with the fair's being underwritten by a Korean dealer and collector, Cristal Kim. Besides Arario, Kukje Gallery and PYO Gallery both have large booths. PYO is highlighting a group of "inverted sculptures" by Lee Yong-Deok. Mr. Lee starts with a photograph of an ordinary person, from which he makes a sculpture. He then pours a mixture of fiberglass, gypsum, and other materials over the "positive" sculpture and lets it harden, thus creating a person-shaped cavity in a fiberglass block. Four of Mr. Lee's works are in the new Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley.

The top sellers of the Chinese contemporary scene are present at the fair, but fortunately in small numbers. Gallery Artside, based in Beijing and Seoul, is exhibiting Mr. Zhang's "Girl No 4." The gallery declined to state the asking price but noted that a similar work sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong last month for $1.6 million.

Mr. Goedhuis, who has been dealing in Chinese contemporary art for over a decade, suggested that prices for some artists have become irrational, as new collectors, without much experience or discernment, jump on the bandwagon. And the increased interest in Chinese art by Chinese collectors will "move the prices into another stratosphere," he predicted. "If you think they're high now, just wait another 20 minutes. They'll be doubled."

The painter Tianbing Li, who was born in China in 1974 and now lives in Paris, said many of his friends have moved back to China to take advantage of the booming art market. "Living in China is very good for artists right now," said Mr. Li. "You can get a big studio, you can hire assistants very cheap. But I chose to stay in France, because I think an artist needs to be alone sometimes. In Beijing, there is too much noise." Mr. Li's Zurich dealer, Kashya Hildebrand, is showing six of his paintings, from a series called "The Children's Project," in which, from the five black-and-white photographs taken of him as a child, Mr. Li invents a new childhood for himself, filled with color, toys he didn't have, and a brother — which he also didn't have, because of China's one-child policy.

Ms. Hildebrand said all of the paintings have already been sold, for prices around $200,000. "I have such a waiting list now [for Mr. Li's work] that I interview people first," she said.

To which Mr. Li added: "I refuse a lot [of requests], because I don't want to produce like a machine."

Pocheon Asia Biennale 2007

2007-10-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

Rebirth of Tradition is an exhibition of ‘Neo-Pop’ artworks from China, Japan, and Korea to study their characteristics. Korean Neo-Pop is, in general, based on re-interpretation of traditional paintings, Chinese Neo-Pop is established upon tradition of socialist realism, and Japanese Neo-Pop works are created with tradition of animation.Participants: 16 Artists (from 3 countries, China, Japan, and Korea)

KWEON Jeong-Chan, KIM Keun Joong, SEO Hee Hwa, LEE Lee Nam, YI Hee-Choung (Korea), Hideaki Kwashima, Akino Kondoh, Ozaki Shingo, Hara Takafumi, Tsuchiya Takafumi, Aran Yasuoka (Japan), Feng Zhengjie, Jingkewen, Qi zhi long, Shi Xinning, Wu Mingzhong (China)

Encounter with Contemporary Asian Art is initiated to observe Asian identity through contemporary art works from many different Asian countries. Artworks of this exhibition will allow people to witness the diverse characteristics of different Asian countries.

KANG Yong Myeon, GU Bon-Ju, KIM Kira, KIM Ywa Gon, KIM Chae Hyung, PARK Byoung Choon, PARK Young-Geun, PARK Young Yul, PE Jin Ho, BYUN Sun Young, SEOL Chong Sik, SON Ki-Hwan, SONG Myung-Jin, SONG Eun Young, WANG Heung Yeul, YOON Kap Yong, LEE Ku-Yong, LEE So-Jung, LEE Woo-Lim, E In-Cheong, LEE Joong Keun, LEE Hyun Jin, LEE Hee Myoung, CHUNG Kuk-Taek, CHUNG Young-Han, JEONG Ji-Hyun, CHOI Eun Young, HAN Sun-Hyun, HONG Nam Kee, HONG Sang Sik, Ahmad Fuad B. Osman (Malaysia), Brain Gothong Tan (Singapore), Oh Soon Hwa (Singapore), akad. Mal. KAMIL MIKEL (Czech), Chia-En Jao (Taiwan), Jin Ri Long (China), Leslie de Chavez (Philippines), Luo Shu Jian (China), Chusak Srikwan (Thailand), Nyamkhuu Baatar (Mongolia), Roxana Manouchehri (Iran)

Asian Contemporary Art Fair, NY

2007-10-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

ACAF debuts November 8-12, 2007 at Pier 92 with new works by a front line of contemporary masters and a fascinating selection of work in varied media by emerging artists who are setting tomorrow’s trends. ACAF brings to New York a vibrant, international art market, attractive to experienced collectors but accessible to those new to contemporary Asian art.

Gyeongbokgung, Seoul, Korea 2006

2007-09-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

The Neo-Emerging Artists Residency

2007-09-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

The Neo-Emerging Artists Residency (NEAR) originated in Seoul, South Korea, with its initial launch in NEAR Dangsan Studio in 2005. Started as a weekly gathering of four young Asian artists namely, Jinsuk Che (Korea), Chananun Chotrungroj (Thailand), Ahmad Fuad Osman (Malaysia) and Leslie de Chavez (Philippines), the Dangsan Studio has become a progressive resource center for contemporary art exchanges and informations. The Neo-Emerging Artists Residency is an art network that provides venues, discourses, opportunities, support and assistance for young contemporary artists around the globe.