Aim for the Stars
Aim for the best always! Nothing wrong with dreaming big, taking chances and getting it! This was always my 'motto' and getting my grants and awards abroad were just icing on the cake.
When I started my prints about the HIV virus and AIDS in 1995, I was disturbed about the lack of awareness of Filipinos and about the looming situation. I thought that by portraying them in my works, then I could contribute partially to the hopeful change. I still continue to work with these series in form. I created the imagery of the virus amidst the epitome of the Filipino me. 'PiPay' is the indomitable spirit of struggle and bravery of Filipinos. Be it the imagery or the deconstruction of the imagery, they worked with each of my paintings and prints. With the onset of the coronavirus or Covid-19 in 2020, I am faced with another predicament that caught the Filipinos in thrall, hysteria, and health security.
"I want my art to be a change, a journey and a direction to be a better human being... I have exhibited my series in countries like the United States, France, Japan, and Singapore aside from the Philippines. I work largely on cultural issues in my paintings, installations, photographs, and mass prints. I gain insight to create from popular convictions, way-of-life, and in most Filipino practices."
I started conceptualizing my works in oils and acrylics on canvas in 2012 with the group show After Dali at Now Gallery, Beginnings with Kaida Gallery, The Night Nebula at Paseo Gallery ART Center, Bagong Panahon 2013 with Galerie Anna, Creating Identities with Corredor Gallery in 2014 and with a solo at Now Gallery titled Leavings. The series I created are pieces with figurations that are vague but with underlying meanings. I hope to suggest and convey a moral and social responsibility that I hope to practice more. They represent a sublime social commentary about the existing Ebola crisis where a total of 7,373 have died of the disease and counting since December 2014 and wherein a total of 19,000 are estimated currently exposed. I wanted the idea to suggest (a concept) a practice that for the culmination of works that I would be exhibiting, they would all be in this figuration. I hesitated in creating hype with my works that would negate the context. Resulting in less interest in some of my works. I could not continue without doing justice to the idea.
I intentionally exhibited on several venues these simple figurations and hardly mentioned the purpose or symbolism. A loss perhaps since I could always write them down in the notes. I just wanted enough research on my part to be done and discovered. I am proud that for six major exhibitions, since 2012, I am able to show these figures truthfully without any other concern than the work itself.
These are actual virus figures, and they are quite monotonous to do. I simply wanted this expression and intent evident in the works. I am much more adept with figure drawings but the practice and concept itself would help me discipline and focus more.
I merely suggest that the truth reveals itself, it moves through nature until it reveals itself through time and eventually conveys the essential idea. It also unmasks the beauty, process and disinterest. Truth is the object or goal of most philosophical thinking. I merely played with the idea through painting, exploration, and materials. Social content plays a lot in Philippine contemporary works and in instances in my works past, I usually parallel it with play and references through the years.
Earlier printmaking works in 1995 show a series of similar figurations for the AIDS / HIV virus. I used them intentionally in a manner to emphasize the context of each new series.” I am content with the years of exploration and exhibitions. It scares me still, learning, empathizing and making choices. Quite thankful that this is still farthest from my personal life even with misses. Yet I am penitent and unwilling that it still happens around me despite awareness and education. They were always hit the hardest.
Lately, with the onset of the pandemic Covid-19 in 2020, it became more apparent that comorbidity became more important to me personally. Having firsthand experience with the millennium pandemic perhaps wouldn't allow me to stray from these representations and deconstruction.
Recto and Versa paintings have inspired me in my works like 'Archipelago' shown at Imago Mundi 2015 in Italy and could be traced in earlier explorations since 1995. I want further to explore and work with 'riveting' and 'space', perhaps in future sculptures and paintings. Exploring and incorporating the 'lack of space' and assimilation to surroundings.
Roldan's body of works represents an inward look at how one could be an idealist in an ever-besieged population. He mainly explores mediums like acrylics, oil, drawings, prints, photographs, and installations. He also continues to write poetry and articles about the arts. He invites young artists from abroad to come to the Philippines to have artist talks or organized collaborations with local artists. He encourages exchanges that would help fellow young artists in the Philippines parallel themselves with their counterparts abroad.
"I curate and organize exhibitions to supplement the lack of viable shows then through the years. It has also allowed me to know about my own art and other artists. I probably lack experience, but I could never deny the important opportunities to work with prestigious personalities extensively."
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amiel_roldan@yahoo.com
amiel.roldan@gmail.com
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