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One of the hurdles that photography faces when moving from its documentary roots into realms of fine art is to disassociate itself from being a prisoner to its caption. When the sentence, paragraph or essay informs the viewer’s reaction to the visual then the value of the visual is reduced to illustration. And the stronger the polemic of the written word the quicker the visual becomes propaganda.
This is not unique to photography and can and does happen in other genres, as with the current exhibition at the Hiraya gallery, First Impression – Lust. Ronald Caringal has hung 8 large paintings that dominate the space with their pop art meets super realism to make eye candy aesthetic. These crisp and clean and tres cool renderings of fantasy female faces are dominated by their titles. Witty one liners with erotic over tones such as “It was the moment he was glad to meat her” or “It was the moment he got into master baking” for example.
When this is coupled with Angelo Suarez’s catalogue essay “The Pleasure of the Oral” the political message becomes unmistakable and the works become illustrations of the written polemic. For without their titles and the essay they are accomplished graphic renderings which could well be a distinctive part of an IKEA gallery; a stylish decorative finishing touch for a bachelor pad.
The exhibition continues until 15th of July at 530 United Nations Avenue, Ermita.
Showing posts with label Exhibition Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exhibition Reviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Generous Co mpany
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Charcoal has long been used by artist’s for sketching out ideas and drawing layouts to be painted over. It isn’t often that finished works are presented in this medium and rarer still for an exhibition to be devoted entirely to it. But Charlie Co’s latest exhibition, “Balana”, at Slab Gallery does just that.
His eighteen large (4’ x4’) charcoal drawings stand out in stark relief on the gallery’s white walls, a powerful and dramatic onslaught to the visual senses as you walk through the door. With their dark gray mattes and black frames these black and white images with their small splashes of color, which heightens the limited palette, confront the audience not only through the rendering but with the subject matter. For Co is uncompromising in his depiction humanities follies with his cast of self-indulgent characters.
From the business man looking through a key hole in “Here Comes Mr Smiley” with its pedophilic over tones to the un-repentant survivor in “Bail Out” that recalls the allegory of the ship of fools, Co tackles the issues of the day with insight and candor. But his work is more than current events as he turns to gaze through the proscenium upon issues that have occupied the human consciousness from the time of Medieval Morality plays in works like “St Michael Duels The Devil”. And more often than not his tongue is firmly in his cheek with a satirical sense humor that lightens the messenger’s tale, this aspect of his work is especially prevalent in “Crow Monger” and “Message From An Angel”.
Although bordering on the macabre from time to time, see "Masquerade" and "Halloween Chair", Co is a generous artist who has created images for this exhibition that keep on giving. "Balana" will be on view until 4th of July at Slab Gallery 2/F YMC Building 2, 2320 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City.
Charcoal has long been used by artist’s for sketching out ideas and drawing layouts to be painted over. It isn’t often that finished works are presented in this medium and rarer still for an exhibition to be devoted entirely to it. But Charlie Co’s latest exhibition, “Balana”, at Slab Gallery does just that.
His eighteen large (4’ x4’) charcoal drawings stand out in stark relief on the gallery’s white walls, a powerful and dramatic onslaught to the visual senses as you walk through the door. With their dark gray mattes and black frames these black and white images with their small splashes of color, which heightens the limited palette, confront the audience not only through the rendering but with the subject matter. For Co is uncompromising in his depiction humanities follies with his cast of self-indulgent characters.
From the business man looking through a key hole in “Here Comes Mr Smiley” with its pedophilic over tones to the un-repentant survivor in “Bail Out” that recalls the allegory of the ship of fools, Co tackles the issues of the day with insight and candor. But his work is more than current events as he turns to gaze through the proscenium upon issues that have occupied the human consciousness from the time of Medieval Morality plays in works like “St Michael Duels The Devil”. And more often than not his tongue is firmly in his cheek with a satirical sense humor that lightens the messenger’s tale, this aspect of his work is especially prevalent in “Crow Monger” and “Message From An Angel”.
Although bordering on the macabre from time to time, see "Masquerade" and "Halloween Chair", Co is a generous artist who has created images for this exhibition that keep on giving. "Balana" will be on view until 4th of July at Slab Gallery 2/F YMC Building 2, 2320 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Manila and Me
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First impressions are not always to be trusted. Such was the case when I first laid eyes upon the the 51 black and white photographs, under glass, at Briccio Santos’ “Inner Spaces” exhibition at the Silverlens Gallery. There were some interesting compositions but the works were mute.
A closer examination, literally with my nose inches from the glass, and I was drawn into the works. These 20 x 24 inch and 16 x 20 inch Manila cityscapes demand this intimacy and the viewer’s reflection in the glass, which is usually an annoyance, becomes an integral part of the experience. The viewer becomes a part of the scene and as their focus shifts so too does the relationship with the scene presented.
This idea of reflection is carried over to Santos’ installation, the 52nd work in the exhibition, “Tunnel of knowledge”. A circular library with a mirrored ceiling and a mirrored floor. This hall of mirrors extends above and below to become a book lovers wishing well. Constructed to exclude the casual viewer's reflection the more intrepid can become involved at the risk of suffering from vertigo.
The majority of the books in this library are stacked upon the shelves with their spines hidden from prying eyes. And those with their titles on view are, for the most part, technical manuals and self help tombs. A couple of fiction titles make the cut but the only literary title on show is Mark Twain’s, Huckleberry Finn. Interestingly, considering its setting, books about art are conspicuous by their absence along with poetry, but who reads them today?
Inner Spaces continues at Silverlens until 20th June with a talk by Briccio Santos scheduled for Saturday 6th of June.
First impressions are not always to be trusted. Such was the case when I first laid eyes upon the the 51 black and white photographs, under glass, at Briccio Santos’ “Inner Spaces” exhibition at the Silverlens Gallery. There were some interesting compositions but the works were mute.
A closer examination, literally with my nose inches from the glass, and I was drawn into the works. These 20 x 24 inch and 16 x 20 inch Manila cityscapes demand this intimacy and the viewer’s reflection in the glass, which is usually an annoyance, becomes an integral part of the experience. The viewer becomes a part of the scene and as their focus shifts so too does the relationship with the scene presented.
This idea of reflection is carried over to Santos’ installation, the 52nd work in the exhibition, “Tunnel of knowledge”. A circular library with a mirrored ceiling and a mirrored floor. This hall of mirrors extends above and below to become a book lovers wishing well. Constructed to exclude the casual viewer's reflection the more intrepid can become involved at the risk of suffering from vertigo.
The majority of the books in this library are stacked upon the shelves with their spines hidden from prying eyes. And those with their titles on view are, for the most part, technical manuals and self help tombs. A couple of fiction titles make the cut but the only literary title on show is Mark Twain’s, Huckleberry Finn. Interestingly, considering its setting, books about art are conspicuous by their absence along with poetry, but who reads them today?
Inner Spaces continues at Silverlens until 20th June with a talk by Briccio Santos scheduled for Saturday 6th of June.
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