Philippine Art Trek's Maelstrom: The Monumental in Philippine Art

'A maelstrom is a very powerful whirlpool or large swirling body of water.'

Maelstrom, part of the Philippine Art Trek series, successfully brought in monumental works from Philippines, and I was hugely awestruck by the immensity of it all! After all, on exhibit are works of art in epic proportions (214x427 cm or bigger)...not the typical drawing-room variety. If paintings could literally speak, then this batch is on super loud-speaker mode albeit the type that vibrates and echoes only with pleasant sound. The messages are rich and multi-layered too - the exhibit being a cross-sectional and cross-generational representation of Philippine art. Altogether Maelstrom leaves a wonderful and uplifting sensorial experience.

I've always been in awe at the knack of Pinoy artists in creating deceptively simple visual arts, but which upon closer inspection have profound messages. 'Line Up' (shown below), for example, is neat, neutral, and symmetrical. It is supposed to represent the vulnerabilities of the displaced Filipino overseas workers who are at times exploited in their host countries. But on a wonderful night like yesterday, I simply wanted to soak in the visual beauty around me. I guess effective art has that paradoxical power: it can show its audience harsh realities, but wrapped in great aesthetics. 

The huge turn-out of artists and art aficionados alike is a testament to the monumental success of the exhibit :-) Kudos to all those who made it possible!

And only the vastness of Gallery 3 at Valentine Willie Fine Art can do justice to these gigantic pieces. The show is on until Dec 2!

Elmer Borlongan's Amazing Rat Race - Sold for $79,000! Ain't no starving artist out there I must say!

Juanito Torres' Pajaritos (Bird Call)

Line Up by Dennis Atienza - much more meaningful (and painful) than its neat look suggests

Leo Abaya's Stereoscopic Nightmare

Alfredo Esquillo, Temptation of Sane Eski

Mark Justiniani's Navigator

Jaypee Samson's Agimat

Maelstrom is on at Vallentine Willie Fine Art - Tanjong Pagar Distripark #39. Until Dec 02
#Maelstrom #PhilippineArtTrek #MarkJustinani #ElmerBorlongan

Popular posts from this blog

Pinto Art Museum: A Must-Visit Art Destination in Philippines

Image
It was a rainy Tuesday when we went to Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, Philippines. Such a weather would have been ideal for a museum tour, normally an indoor activity. Pinto Art Museum, however, is not just an ordinary museum. It is a cluster of galleries sitting in more than an hectare of landscaped gardens, in the hills of Antipolo, overlooking the huge megalopolis that is Metro Manila. It is a place that begs to be explored, both inside and out. So armed with our umbrellas, we braved the rain, and was rewarded with the many charms around. The cozy cafe by the entrance is perfect for late breakfast... or simply a good cup of coffee - a steaming one was just right for the weather that day. The pouring rain almost stopped us from discovering the charms beyond the gates. Glad that we had "rain or shine" as mantra that day. A small chapel near the entrance. With an umbrella in one hand, and a camera in the other, taking a decent photo was a bit tricky, and so I m
Read more

Bhutan: Windows and Doors of Bhutan (Land of Happiness)

Image
Last May, I went with a group of fellow photography enthusiasts to Bhutan in what proved to be a trip of a lifetime in more ways than one. The place is blessed with well-conserved natural resources, (lush mountains, clear streams, calm valleys),  its distinct culture which is greatly influenced by Buddhism, and the warmth of its people, who are generally ready to share a smile. Aside from these, what sets Bhutan apart from many Asian countries is its unique architecture. I'll be sharing more of my experience in future posts but for now, I'd like to share a few snaps, specifically a facet of Bhutanese architecture, its doors and windows. This window design typical of many houses and buildings in Bhutan Doors are as equally interesting...this one from a temple in Bhumtang Tashiccho Dzong in Thimpu Near Punakha Dzong In a temple complex in Bumthang...this is where the townsfolk light up candles Behind Tashiccho Dzong in Thimpu A prayer wh
Read more

SingPoWriMo 2014: Anthology

Image
Singapore Poetry Writing Month or SingPoWriMo is a curious phenomenon in the literary scene: it started out in the virtual world (a Facebook group set up in April), where members/poets of every stripe, young and old, veterans and emerging were challenged to respond to daily prompts during the "cruel month of April" aka Poetry Month. Many of the prompts were deeply challenging: Day 1 for example involved the use of 6 words including debauched, trade, exclusive, Day 4 encouraged the use of one-syllable poems, Day 16 was the writing in a different language and dialect, and so on . Clearly these kept the poets engaged as new poems cropped up everyday in response to the prompts. By the end of the month, the group eventually grew to more than 450 members, collectively producing hundreds of poems.  Apart from the sharing of poems, there was too a lively exchange of thoughts on the site - many members were actively engaged, going beyond mere "liking", and responding to o
Read more