Art Fair Philippines 2017: Midterm
Talking about the galleries
Among the galleries in the fair, I adore the gallery named YOD X Kogure (Gallery Kogure). Some of the artists being showcased in the gallery are Mariko Kitajima, Tomohiro Takagi, and Yoshitomo Nara. Judging from their names, I think all of them are Japanese artists. I think the overall theme of Gallery Kogure is about individuality and boldness. Individuality because the featured art works express peculiarity and they have their own personality. I think the gallery also expresses boldness because the artists have no fear to express themselves through their art works. Furthermore, the vibe of the gallery was too comforting for me because I feel so in with the art works and its like its giving me the freedom to show a hidden part of me that I don’t want to see by the others. I was completely enticed and amazed with the artworks in this gallery.
Gallery Kogure
1. About me by Mariko Kitajima
At first glance, I find this painting creepy because the woman has a resemblance with the scary movie character in a famous Japanese horror movie, ‘The Ring.’ She looks like Sadako. But as I stared at it for a long time, I see sadness and loneliness. The woman’s face was covered with her hair and her real face was the one being offered in the tray. It’s like the woman was restrained to show who she really is and because of this, she wants to show her real identity through the things that she offers. Maybe she didn’t want the others to see who she really was and with that, she wanted to express herself through her actions and creations. I think the painting is about being honest with yourself and being fearless to express the real you.
2. Savage room by Tomohiro Takagi
I think the girl here is being pressured by the vicious cats around her. I think the cats represent the people around the girl and it’s like she was holding by the neck by these people. I think the girl here is peculiar because her eyes have different set of colors. Her left eye was green while her right eye was blue. Most of the cats are lunging at her but there is only one cat which just stares at her. It is the small black cat in the right part of the painting. I think this black cat is quite observing the girl. I think the girl felt so restrained by her external environment. There’s a loss of freedom in this painting and I think I felt the same with the girl.
3. Guitar girl by Yoshitomo Nara
I think the girl here wants to share her talent with everyone. I think she’s a kind of girl that is so passionate with music. I think she aspires to be a famous guitarist someday. And I think this art work conveys that dreaming big is a wonderful thing to do and that to dream big is a step to be the best person that you can be.
Among the 11 Filipino exhibitors in this year’s art fair, I choose Agnes Arellano and Jose Tence Ruiz.
Project Pleiades: Agnes Arellano
1. Dakini: Tantric sky dancer
A dakini is a Tantric priestess of ancient India who carried the souls of the dead to the sky. Dakini is a Sanskrit word which means sky dancer.
This Buddhist figure is particularly upheld in Tibetan Buddhism. The dakini is a female being of generally volatile temperament, who acts as a muse for spiritual practice. Dakinis can be likened to elves, angels, or other such supernatural beings, and are symbolically representative of testing one’s awareness and adherence to Buddhist tantric sadhana.
(Source: http://www.crystalinks.com/dakini.html)
2. Inanna: Multi-breasted cow goddess (one of the Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses)
Inanna is one of the ancient Mesopotamian goddesses. She is the ancient Sumerian goddess of love, sensuality, fertility, procreation, and war. She later became identified by the Akkadians and Assyrians as the goddess Ishtar, and further with the Hittite Sauska, the Phoenician Astarte and the Greek Aphrodite. She was also seen as the bright star of the morning and evening, Venus, and identified with the Roman goddess.(Mark, 2010).
(Source: http://www.ancient.eu/Inanna/)
3. Kali: Hindu goddess of Time, Death, and Destruction (The Feminine force in Indian Art)
Kali comes from a Sanskrit word which means “She who is black” or “She who is death (Doniger, 2015).” Kali is the Hindu goddess (or Devi) of death, time, and doomsday and is often associated with sexuality and violence but is also considered a strong mother-figure and symbolic of motherly-love. Kali also embodies shakti — feminine energy, creativity and fertility — and is an incarnation of Parvati, wife of the great Hindu god Shiva. She is most often represented in art as a fearful fighting figure with a necklace of heads, skirt of arms, lolling tongue, and brandishing a knife dripping with blood (Cartwright, 2013).
(Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kali; http://www.ancient.eu/Kali/)
4. Magdalene: Christ’s most beloved disciple
Magdalene is the first one who has seen Jesus on the day of resurrection.
Thoughts about Arellano’s exhibit
I think all the sculptures exhibit religiosity and feminism. The sculptures represent the goddesses and respective women of different religions. The exhibit displays feminism because it shows that women have a strong role in the foundation of different religion, not only men. The sculptures exhibit the force of women in building the faith of people and that they are equally important like the other gods and respective men.
Jose Tence Ruiz
I think this ‘silya elektrika’-look alike is designated for rich and powerful people because it has a resemblance to a royal throne and it signifies power and comfort.
This electric chair is different from the other one because it has leather restrains. I think this is intended for powerful people who have done worst things because I think leather means untamed. And I think this electric chair is for those powerful people who are unstoppable on doing things that they want.
Among the electric chairs, I think this one is the simplest because the structure is just made of wood compared to the others who have foams and covered with red silks. I think this chair is intended for the low-rank people because of its simplicity.
Thoughts about Ruiz’s exhibit
I think this exhibit tackles one of the socio-political issues that is death penalty. Today, there are ongoing debates talking about death penalty and the plan for its implementation. Moreover, I think the artist wants to portray the existing hierarchy in the society based from the different designs of the chairs. He wanted to show that there is a possibility of differing treatments that may happen based on the existing hierarchy in the society.
The audience from the fair
Most of the audience that I saw in the art fair are students. They have cameras on them and they are taking pictures of the art works like me. I have seen a group of people who are engaging themselves in a conversation to talk about the message conveyed by a certain art work. I have seen some who are staring in an art work for the long time, maybe thinking what is the art work all about. I have also seen foreigner viewers there. I think most of the audience in the fair are more engrossed with the galleries and exhibitions and they are having fun with the fair.
Difference between my visit in the Art Fair and National Museum
In the Art Fair…
Looking at the picture, I think I really enjoyed the Art Fair. It was my first time to go in such a sophisticated fair and I really like it! The art works in the Art Fair are very unique, strange, and enticing in their own way. They are far more untamed and bold. The fair has unusual exhibitions that will make the viewers think more deeply. The fair engages the audience to experience the art that they showcase. The audience are free to roam around and there are no certain rules to follow unless stated that the works are not allowed to be touched. There is much freedom and you will really enjoy it.
In the National Museum…
National Museum of Fine Arts featured art works that are made by well-known national artists like Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos Francisco and many more. Most of the art works depict socio-political issues, Philippine history, Philippines scenes, and a lot of things about our country. Most of the artworks are modern paintings, abstract paintings, sculptures, and things used by the national artists. Most of the audience are students who are having their field trip. The audience are restrained with given rules such as no flash allowed, you should be a meter away from this painting, you should not wacky while having a picture with a certain art work, you should not imitate the painting, you should not use snap chat while inside the museum, you should be quiet while roaming around, you should not run in the hallways and many more rules. The staff who are guarding the galleries are stricter and they are really serious in doing their thing. The audience don’t have much freedom inside the museum.
My overall Art Fair experience
I can say that I really had a pretty good time in the art fair and I was really amazed and shocked with the galleries and exhibitions there. There were a lot of students visited the fair and there were also foreigners. I was captured by the peculiar art works. It was my first time to witness such strange and odd art works. Even though there are piece of arts that I don’t really get the meaning no matter how hard I think, I really adore there kind. To be honest, I was shocked with some ridiculous exhibitions and I was really stressed with the very expensive prices of some art pieces that I have seen! You will really cuss inside your head once you see those extravagant prices. That’s why I was really careful to not touch anything when I was roaming around because one bad move, goodness! I tell you, you can never come back to your dear home, sweetie. For me, the art fair has a classy atmosphere and has a somewhat modern vibe. Truly enough, I do enjoy the fair. I really had fun!
Other featured artist
In Capital We Trust: Raoul “Iggy” Rodriguez
Overall theme: Religious, surreal paintings
The head of the figure are big lips and it was praying. For me, it shows that the creature has a lot of prayers which are represented by his head full of lips. Its like instead of his head, the lips are the one speaking for him. I think this conveys the lost of freedom for the creature because its like the lips are the one speaking for his behalf.
Its like the creature is ascending but there are a lot of other creatures who wanted to come with him and with that, they are holding into him like a leech. These creatures who wanted to come with him have wings of an angel though they don’t look like an angel because they look like an astronaut for me. I think this conveys the crab mentality of us Filipinos because instead of supporting the creature to go up, its like the astronaut-looking creatures are pulling the big creature down by holding into it. And its not a good thing.
I think this portrays the death of Jesus and its like a parody of the famous sculpture ‘Pieta.’ However, in this painting, Jesus was holding by evil-looking people who seem to be happy with the death of Jesus. These people have this smirk in their faces which show that they are not sincere for what they are doing because its like the death of Jesus is a good news to them. I think the painting conveys that there are still kind of people who seem to be happy and victorious for the defeat and loss of other persons.
Other featured art works
Solitude by Ferdinand Cacnio
I think this art work conveys strength despite of loneliness. It depicts strength out of isolation. It portrays independence and the ability to stand alone.
Nature was our playground by Ferdinand Cacnio
I think this work expresses the importance of nature in the growth of people. The piece shows individuals who are playing hide and seek and I think it shows the big role of nature in our lives and that we should really value our environment more for the next generation.
Disappearance by Bree Jonson
The painting shows foxes in the snow. Most of them are digging in the snow and most of their bodies are hidden inside the snow holes that they created. However, there is this one fox that maybe, finding for his place to dig too. I know that foxes are famous in a certain place in Japan and I was really captivated by this painting because I have this hope to personally visit these foxes one day.
Ang patuloy na pag-usad ng lipunang may sayad by SANGVIAJE (Daniel Aligaen, John Paul Antido, Edrick Daniel, Dennis Fortozo, Guerrero Habulan, Joven Mansit, Jaypee Samson, and Pogs Samson)
This big painting is a satire painting that really vibrates the title itself. In the painting, the society is carried by a big turtle which represents the slow pacing of the society towards success. I have seen a part in which there is a figure of Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal who were playing basketball in the court, but their ball is a grenade. I think the painting expresses the state of our society as of now and the irony to go forward despite of its flaws and defects.
Without aim 1 by JC Jacinto from Silverlens
I think this painting portrays a picture of an individual who are driving in a dark road. I think he is lost and he has nowhere to go.
Seascape #2 by Frank Callghan from Silverlens
I think this captures a scene from a helicopter above the wide ocean. The picture shows the view of an ocean when it is sunset. It was beautiful. I think this conveys freedom and a bright future ahead that is waiting for us.
In the name of the father #2 (After everyday J.C.) by Jonathan Ching from Blanc
The painting has an actual material embedded on it. It was the heart of Jesus Christ. I think this conveys the sacred heart of Jesus that represents God’s unconditional love for us.
For those I will leave behind 1 by Ronald Caringal from Blanc
The painting has a captivating message on the end part of it. It was a message written by the artist which says: “This will be misunderstood.” At first glance, you can tell that the man is grabbing the woman for him to kiss her. In my opinion, I think the woman is longing for the kiss of the man who will leave her anytime soon. I think this portrays a sad but romantic parting between lovers.
