The High Art of Recycling: Recyclables by Ronald Ventura

Two years ago, Taatu started talking about saving and greening the planet earth. I was quite impressed that her school started inculcating this consciousness that early (she was in nursery at that time - never too early to start I would say!). Every now and then, she would talk about recycling and making use of throw-away objects - which she does in her own little way, like making use of old boxes and papers and creating what-nots from them, though many times in the process, she would generate more recyclables, leaving behind a mound of mess in the drawing room! (She happily claims she belongs to the messy team in the house, while I, on the other hand, belong to the clean-up brigade). 

When I told her that I'd be going to an exhibit of artworks from recycled items, she excitedly said she would go along. So off we went on a wet Saturday afternoon to Ronald Ventura's Recyclables at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute. We managed to catch the latter part of the opening day's walk-through and followed the throng of Ventura fans around, and listened in to the short Q&A with the artist himself. I couldn't catch much of what he said - he was very soft-spoken (and looking shy, and doesn't seem to have the quirkiness quite common among artists of his caliber! In a way, it was quite refreshing to see an acclaimed artist looking like an everyday person, at least that day!). While the artist himself spoke softly, his art, however, did much of the talking - and delivered the message on the need to recycle loud and clear. 

Ventura is a leading artist not just in Philippines but throughout South East Asia. One of his artworks apparently sold off for a million dollars - a record for a contemporary artist! No less than the New York Times featured Ventura in an article last year:


Here's a sampler of the exhibit:





The biggest draw in the collection, partly made of cast paper - sold at SGD $175,000!
The artist used these scraps as molds




Is that a bird? a cloud? a brocolli? Taatu's favorite among those on exhibit :-)

Part of the 'Into the Woods' series

Danger Ahead! 


It's true now, more than ever
We don't need to look far back in time to be reminded of the impact of global warming (New York is still reeling from Hurricane Sandy). Everywhere and at ever closer intervals, we hear news about 'natural' catastrophes. We never know for sure how 'natural' these things are. But what's for sure is that man wittingly or unwittingly contribute to these ever more frequent disturbances that our generation is facing, globally. It is more than about time to start doing something that can help slow down (hopefully!) the impact of the worsening climate. Recycling I think is the easiest and more sustainable way of doing one's share. And of course I am sooo grateful to Taatu's school for helping to ingrain environmental consciousness early on. Now, if only the school could also teach the art of tidying up so that I won't forever be on the clean-up team, I'd be on brocolli cloud 9!

The show is on at the scenic Singapore Tyler Print Institute (41 Robertson Quay) until Dec 15. STPI is overlooking the Singapore river and the colorful bridge painted by another famous Pinoy artist (Pacita Abad, may she rest in peace). I wanted to take a picture of the bridge, but it was raining at that time. Well, that leaves me one reason to go back to Robertson Walk sometime soon, doesn't it?

#RonaldVenture #TheHighArtOfRecycling

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