Some Posts That Got Lost

Some Posts That Got Lost
After the Opening
April 27, 2003



I had my second solo relief print exhibition titled ‘Pasintabi’ last March 16, 2003 to April 15, 2003 at the Kulay Art Galleries located at 25 Lopez Avenue Lopez Village, Sucat, Parañaque. I sold quite a few works. I am writing this article to try to put into paper some of my thoughts after all my efforts to present a print show. I am quite happy with the outcome personally and have been enthusiastic for quite some time now to try to come up with a much better body of works. This was also a happy occasion for me. I just received a grant from the Asian Cultural Council for a six months stay in the US.It was a very hectic month of preparations that despite some very surprising twist of events, the show pushed through. I was not able to come up with a better alternative for directly posting the paper works on the concrete wall. I didn't have the resources then and I always never ask for help. Tsk tsk. tsk. I provided the additional matting and the invitations with hardly big expenses. I am very much enthusiastic with the tarpaulin provided for the show. I also observed that during preparations for these events I was always in a hurry. I wanted it to be better but I always miss the chance. I remember the first exhibit I had at Hiraya so I decided not to have an opening here. I presented 26 black relief prints for my second solo show. All were consistently done and quite interestingly noted by my contemporaries. The hanging provisions were the only questionable part of the show. I had a long sermon about that from then curator Bobi V. But who can remain sad about it when I will be abroad for a few months on an all expenses paid grant.Fast Forward...After being back from my grant in New York City there were a lot of changes. I hope to be a better artist in the future. Lately, I seem to have detractors on the ideas I present at Kulay Diwa Art Galleries as its new curator and director. Things do change unexpectedly. Choices made. Mistakes and successes learned. I hope to overcome them. I have been independent in my ideas and have the drive to be independent still in the future. I chose my career and I would live up to it. Sigh.

Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™

Mandaluyong City, Philippines

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Of Making Your Marks
December 4, 2002

When one travels a road not taken before one could fairly approximate the sense of feet scouring ground. We usually walk to get to a point of destination and if one happens to have the time and the effort to spend it could be quite enjoyable but a pain still.

On this first week of December, 2002, I happen to find myself on foot to Green Papaya Art Projects to see the exhibit of large paintings and 50 drawings of Louie Cordero, titled 'Torts and Damages.' A frequent visitor before, I had now seldom the opportunity to come this far way, yet, I was curious how would one of the most dynamic young artists of SBW to date, would present his latest one man show.

I should have guessed that Roberto Chabet would have a hand in this former UP student exhibit albeit a small one. I was fascinated how he would design the works with the numerous crannies that the space have. I wouldn’t push past the inconvenience and was surprised that Chabet had a hard time. Talk about challenge. Cordero's new body of works isn't the typical conceptual works as they are more illustrative, Pop and kitsch. The two sets were to work separately at another venue but it had to make do with a singular by chance space of Green Papaya. On a scale, the set up was good without the flair.

On Cordero’s works, one finds his small sketches in comparison between editorial drawings of contemporary magazines. I like them for what they are. They were reminiscent of his occupation yet his bigger canvasses exudes the cleverness and guile of an artist’s sic mind. But instead of working on an almost dramatic landscape as his earlier works like 'Attack of the Killer Pancit Canton!!!' he simplifies his palette for a more contrived set in choosing singular protagonists for his landscaped creations. Ahhh! To be this radical at a young age makes you want to search for your favorite Dr. Seuss book and remember childhood pranks in earlier years. The painting 'Century to Build and Seconds to Fall' done in oil and enamel is quite admirable as you could see a point for good research before doing a painting.

The different characters never quite blended together, though, as they tended to be illogical with each other. Individually pieces could stand alone but together, 'Torts and Damages' hints more about the distractions and mundane tediousness of living a life than it should offer as an intended escape. Overall, it was not just another Weng-weng story left in the dust as the novelty wears off.

Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™

Mandaluyong City, Philippines

*** visit me at

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www.amielroldan.tk

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The Space Called Tambayang Makiling
March 28, 2003

I was at Tambayang Makiling located at Sct. Santiago cor. Roces Sts., Quezon City for its inaugural show last March 1, 2003. A new venue for the plural art disciplines with not quite a definite vision but of a definite space and artists. One wonders of the more than five hundred graduates of Makiling Highschool since the early eighties. We would find some of them at this new aptly named venue. The earlier student works of alumnus under former Makiling teachers, Bob Feleo and Benjie Cabangis, were exhibited in one striking piece a bit maudlin. The collaborative effort was on the first floor left wall and a directed video of alumni, Jon Red and Raymond Red, was being shown on an impromptu video set up. Future film making shows and viewing are also in the offing and is more stable as some members are internationally renowned. The Anino group also performed with their more experimental work that was rudely interrupted by inattentive older audiences. There seems to be a bit of tensed camaraderie with both older and younger groups. The groups seem to be a diversified lot and were quite impressively talented in their own respective contemporary fields. The space is a two-storey structure with an ample-sized patio for outdoor sculpture. A viewing window was maintained and at the opening were displaying the typical handmade masks of Makiling. From the entrance there are wide walls on both sides leading to a closed off kitchen. Enough space for a major exhibit for visual artists or a suitable performance venue for dancers. Stairs led up to a portioned off room for a smaller exhibiting space intended for drawings. Here were some smaller works of other Makiling's painters and visual artists led by Don Salubayba and Ian Victoriano. Another wider room opens on the second floor for another major exhibit space. The bigger works of artists Alwin Reamillo, Pablo Biglang-awa, Dindo Llana, Jon Red et al were hung side by side with an accommodating ceiling for these different format (6' x 4' the biggest by painter Juanito Torres). A table and chairs were on the far side for consultations and other formal discussions.According to Pablo Biglang-awa who with Ian Victoriano and Jon Red lead albeit informally the visual arts committee of Tambayan Makiling, the space was created for most functions of the members and immediate family. Being mostly painters themselves they made more practical plans for the walls and over-all structure of the place. The ambiance was mostly created through years of refining and improving the place before its inaugural opening. Some future improvements were in the making like the signage structure, lighting and a more definite patio. Like Pablo, Jon Red and Ian Victoriano are planning on solo shows in more prominent spaces and galleries. These plans, they say would complement for a stronger practice in their respective art careers. The TM would serve at times as studio and residencies for practicing artists. Most of the members are in their mid-thirties and early forties and are quite settled in family and financial matters . The thrust for visual and painting shows and also directing were more for personal satisfaction and pursuit. The venue keeps most of the alumni in touch as it also serves as a common financial venture.For the younger alumni, the place offers more opportunities to hold exhibits. Hopefully it would be an equally viable place for all artist groups or individuals be they older or younger or an alumnus or not.It was quite early to predict on a successful outcome and since it was presumed a loosely and workable structure it offers a novel approach albeit an unpredictable one. After a few years and a number of exhibitions, Tambayan Makiling had to close down and trim down on its activities. Like artists run spaces (ARS) before them, the gallery has exhausted its possibilities and its audiences found other new venues to follow. It prove to be timely for its few artists as it paved the way for emerging artists to empower themselves and be independent for a few years before embarking their separate ways. It lost heart and steam as its members and pioneers made other priorities available within the extended peripheral of artmaking.

Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™

Mandaluyong City, Philippines

*** visit me at

www.amiel-roldan.tk

www.amielroldan.tk

www.amielaceremoroldan.tk

at my blogs:

www.amielroldan.wordpress.com

www.amielroldan.blogspot.com

www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/a-g-roldan.html

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