Textile Art
NEW YORK-BASED ARTIST GED MERINO REPURPOSES TEXTILE AND DISCARDED OBJECTS TO CREATE CONTEMPORARY ART
New York-based artist Ged Merino repurposes textile and discarded objects to create contemporary art
GED MERINO recalls that he grew up in the family farm and saw how his mother turned things such as fabric used as livestock feed bags into repurposed materials at home. His mother’s work got him attracted to different colors, textures and decorative details. His mom also enrolled him in art classes back then.
His parents were not artists, but they influenced him a lot. “My mother was creative and liked making handmade objects using repurposed fabric. My dad was an insurance salesman who was a great storyteller, and he encouraged me to daydream and be imaginative,” says Ged.
Practicing in New York
During his last year of studying Fine Arts in Manila in 1987, Ged got a grant to go to New York.
“When I was in New York, I won in an art competition and was working on mono prints. Eventually, I ended up staying there since I was given an opportunity to work with galleries. For a time, I was also doing both art and office work since I worked for the MET Museum where I handled merchandising and learned more about the business side of art,” shares Ged.
He appreciates the mentoring from artist Boy Rodriguez since he was able to learn about the studio practice and discipline needed as an artist. “I learned from him that being an artist means doing the work every day, whether you are having a good day or a bad day, and that inspiration comes from discovering something that leads to making art,” says Ged.
In 2009, he decided to do full-time work as an artist. Having a Colombian wife, he often travels from New York to Manila or to Bogota and considers all three cities as his home.
Art inspiration
“As an artist my process involves having an idea first and then I do some sketches and then when I work on a piece it keeps on changing during production,” says Ged.
Ged is fascinated and inspired by history and the narrative of people. He says he visited different areas and talked to kutseros (coachmen), and sourced the materials that he used for his solo exhibit called “Kuwentong Kutsero,” which was held earlier this
year at the Museo de Intramuros.
The title can be interpreted in two ways: The first is associated with the tall tales told by the kalesa drivers themselves to while the time away, and the second is to look at it as an informal history on this form of mass transportation and their working-class proprietors.
“I like humanizing the subject matter and what inspired me in doing this exhibit is when I learned about the narratives of the kutseros themselves. I like using colors and different types of fabrics. For my art installations here, I wrapped the discarded kalesas and other parts such as the wheel and the spokes using repurposed textile that were donated by fashion designers based in New York,” shares Ged.
Ged wanted to convey the message that the past is still very much alive and that the kalesa is a symbol of the Filipino spirit and ingenuity.
He observes, “I think that textile art is starting to gain popularity here. It’s harder because of the acceptance, but I like working with textile and discarded materials and making art that is purposeful.”
To know more about Ged Merino, visit: www.gedmerino.com.