ART FAIR PHILIPPINES 2017
Adventure and art.
This is their first two-artist show together; Lynyrd Paras and Yeo Kaa. The exhibition simply titled Self was organized by Secret Fresh for Art Fair Philippines.
It was written that for the two artist, it was a depictions of themselves naturally emerge as self-portraits, but it is not a representation of a mere physical appearance but a representation of the inner self, the inner struggle human being encounter.
Reborn as a fighter by Yeo Kaa
Acrylic on Canvas (2017)
Human’s mind have a endless flow of thoughts. It works 24 hours a day, it never stops. Some thoughts may be irrelevant, important or something that is created out of nowhere by our own mind. Our mind has the capacity to create demons within ourselves by our thoughts. Each and everyone of us at some point have been haunted by our own thoughts such as violence, suicides and death. However this art does not depict the helplessness of a person drowning by his thoughts. Krinini, the avatar in the art work; touching the arm of the suicide, the suicide dangling by a cord and her torso ripped apart by an infant curled on the ground as representation as an act of rebirth.
The first time I look at the art work I constantly thought that it depicts someone’s response of how nice death is when we are drifted off to our own demons. But then as I read the title it was not, but it is about a rebirth of a person.
A human being is so powerful yet so vulnerable. We have to keep in mind that we have to be powerful enough to take control of our own thoughts so that we could avoid such demons taking over ourselves. Be in control, and be strong enough to initiate change within yourself to rebirth as a fighter.
Self by Lynyrd Paras
Mixed media on canvas (2017)
Sharing a single space in this gallery for their collaborative work. It may seem that they are finally united compare to their other art work exhibited, there is still no full intergation with one another. This is the artists; Lynyrd Paras and Yeo Kaa, first two-show together so I think that they are trying to imply that even though they are put together for this gallery, they have still their own identity as an artist.
We all have identity that is unique different from each and everyone. Each is still an artist of their own, with his and her own style. In the art work, the human has no interaction with each other; the male figure observes a skull ripped out from his own head while the female figure examines her physical appearance on a hand-held mirror. This work claims of their independence as an artist; that even though they share the same space, they are still two individuals with their respective quest, and visions.
Desolation by Yeo Kaa
Acrylic on Canvas (2017)
This is my intepretation from his work.
Desolation is associated with the words: emptiness, abandoned, misery and loneliness.
It is in the nature of the human being to interact with other people; to communicate and live with them. Spending the day with other people at work, school, vacation etc., and going home to our families. However, for some they come home to an empty house that can result for a person to feel a sense of desolation.
Living alone has its perks, believe me.. But perhaps the most saddest drawback is sometimes feeling lonely. As I start my day, I go to school where I spend my time learning and enjoying the companionship of my friends. However, as the end of the day, i walk home alone, greeted by the darkness and quietness of my place. The feeling of desolation and haunted by our own demons (violence, anxieties etc) are a scary thing to feel when you are alone, but the thing is you have to know how to control yourself.
At the same time, In my own little world, I can be anything that I want to be or do anything I want to do where no one would constatly judge you for your actions. Solitude is a beautiful thing, as it can create the most beautiful thing. Being alone sparks creative ideas in our mind that produce beautiful things. In my free days from school, I usually spend the time in my place learning videography and reading. I enjoy it a lot and with this I start creating works that I thought in the first place I would not know how.
There is a special exhibition that have showcased 11 known Contemporary Filipino Artist. I have chosen, Dex Fernandez and Ronald Ventura
DEX FERNANDEZ
Hobo in Wonderland (video animation)2016–2017
Hobo in Wonderland (drawing installation) 2016–2017
This was solely the art presented by Dex. He resembled the image and characteristic of a garapata to Filipinos. Resilience is a quality of a tick, once latches to its unsuspecting host it is difficult for the tick to remove or dislodge even in the most unpredictable environment linked to adapatability and toughness. Persisting in small pockets across the globe, we infiltrate practicaly every country, with the determination to keep moving forward no matter what the circumstances until we live the life we expect to happen. It seems like no matter where you are in the world, you could find Filipinos.
Instead of exhibiting a finished image and merely sharing it to the public. He prepared a outline of the garapata where the audiences are welcome to experiment and play with the image of garapata with coloring materials. Then, the finished illustrations made by the audiences will be part of the projected animations on the walls.
As Filipinos continuously seeks for a better life, the journey of the garapata continues…
RONALD VENTURA
“Seven Stars Inverted 2o17”
Digital print on backlit film, light box 104 x 87 in.
Stars represents ideals and achievements. The symbolic of people of prestige, power, and achievement, the ones we look up to like the way we gaze up the night sky and appreciate bright but distant specks in wonder and amazement..
Digital art was one of my interest when it comes to art, and I was in admiration that most of his work presented in the art fair was through the medium of digital art.
This big single star contains different colors, representing different stars in the night sky. Each and every stars in the sky is a beautiful thing to look with amazement. Which may mean that our goal in life may be sometimes confusing or constantly changes ever time but once we find it and aim for our ultimate dream anything is possible.. the stars may be out of our reach, but we could work for it to achieve.
Most of his art have used different media; one of his other art work used a large boat sculpture illuminated by projections inside a dark room. His art works have focused on the imaginative and transcedental journeys of a person.
This was my first time attending an art gallery, and I have this notion that commonly elite and artistic people are usually the participant and audiences of this event and i was somehow correct I noticed that mostly this was attended by elite.
There where prominent artist and celebrities; and usually attended by international school students. However, I realized that this is an event that is open to the public, meaning that anyone is invited, different social classes where present. I think that it’s a good thing people from different social class open themselves to the idea of learning and appreciating art through attending art gallery.
The local contemporary philippine art scene was different among the others in a way that filipino artist focuses on the context of philippine culture. One example is Dex Fernandez work wherein it depicts the behavior and attitude of filipinos or OFWs as they gamble their life in different part of the world. I feel more connected to the art works made by the filipino artist compare to the others. It is maybe because somehow there work was relatable as a filipino audience/viewer.
In comparison to attending this event to visiting the National museum. It was way different. The art fair was more interactive compare to the National museum. The art fair was a selling event, artist sell their work so there was an interaction between the artist and the audience. Artist freely interact with you and talk about their artwork. Also, there are art works that let you be part of it. For example in WSK, as a participant you get to experience the art through making sounds. In terms of the environment, it was kind of chaotic in a way that there is an absence of quietness. I usually prefer going to museum because of the quiet environment, it enables me to understand the meaning behind it and appreciate the art.
Over-all my experience in the Art fair PH 2017 was fun and interesting. This was a new experience and it grew my interest to art much more; and definitely I will attend upcoming art events as much as possible.
