Exhibits That Say Too Much… Without Saying Enough
When there is nothing right, is it safe to say that nothing is wrong? If it is not spoken out loud, does it mean that it does not exist?
These are among the musings raised by the exhibits “Karma” and “Sh*t Happens,” the month of November’s featured shows at the Foyer Space of Qube Gallery at The Crossroads, in Banilad.
Mainlined by a series of sculptures by graduates of the University of the Philippines Cebu’s Fine Arts program, the shows present artworks by Boholanon Borj Padron and Bukidnoni Almun Logronio.
The artists worked with wood, galvanized iron, resin and 3D printing modelling techniques for the shows’ pieces – treading on themes which artists rarely dare to venture into.
Padron’s “Karma”
Borj Padron treads on the pretexts of scale and its relationship with balance in “Karma” – encapsulating stark contrasts as standalone one-piece sets.
Working with angels and skeleton demons to convey messages that are made implicit by his aesthetic aims, the show is practically a re-distillation of the concept of “what is right” and “what is wrong” – pitting either of the two as a facet of life that can exist without an opposite.
With works titled after the seven deadly sins, the show’s thematic nuances dips into society’s misguided fascination to weigh or measure.
At is core, the show is a reminder that there are realities which, regardless of how big or small, just are – that a lie, big or small, is a lie nonetheless; that stealing, big or small, is still stealing; that a debt, regardless if it was doled by necessity or otherwise, is still a debt.
Logronio’s “Sh*t Happens”
Given that it is composed of representations of
The Philippines is known for having the longest Christmas season in the world. The Filipino Christmas runs from September through December, usually even lasting until January or February. And certainly one of the most distinctive symbols of Filipino Christmas is the “parol.”
First introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish conquistadores, the “parol” derives its name from the Spanish word for lantern, “farol.” The Philippine “parol” was used to light the way of people going to individuals defecating and cleaning up after, one would probably point out a voyeuristic aspect in Almun Logronio’s “Sh*t Happens.”
However, to say that that voyeuristic stance is the heart and center of the show would be wrong, as the show is actually a commentary on society’s self-depreciating lies and buffooneries – the show dares to harp on society’s paradoxically obtuse views.
Shorn of its “defecating elements,” “Sh*t Happens” presents pieces that can only be made complete with a viewer’s interpretation, It’s a show that, like Borj Padron’s “Karma,” says too much when it has yet not said enough. church for “Simbang Gabi,” also known as “Misa de Gallo,” the nine-day novena mass that culminates on Christmas Eve. From the mass, the “parol” was used again as families go home to enjoy together an early morning snack of native delicacies.
The Philippine “parol” was originally crafted by artisan Francisco Estanislao in 1928, a creation made of bamboo strips covered with papél de japón (Japanese paper), and illuminated by a candle. Over the years, the Philippine “parol” has evolved from the
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One Year Mini Daily Inspiration five-pointed star to more elaborate illuminated capiz shell lanterns commonly seen in certain areas of the country.
Starting in the first week of September, the Philippine “parol” begins to light up the windows of homes, one household at a time. By late November, almost every house would have at least one “parol” hanging. These lanterns remain until January, traditionally removed after Epiphany, to honor the Three Kings on their visit to the infant Jesus.