EXHIBIT REVIEW: Ateneo Art Awards 2015
1:40 AM |
| Frank Callaghan's Deadends |
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| Ryan Villamael's Isles |
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| Charles Buenconsejo's Unending Void |
The Ateneo Art Awards is an annual event held by the
Ateneo Art Gallery that showcases nominated works of artists not older than 36
years old. This is in accordance to the credo of the first modern art gallery
in the metro. As such, the award-giving body aims to help the artists create a
name for themselves in the art industry through acknowledging their works,
giving art residency grants and laying a springboard for the mid-career artists
in general. Although lacking in years, some of the shortlisted artists do not
fall short of the expectation.
The underlying theme most evident in this year’s
shortlisted works was that of exploration in science and technology. Some dealt
on the play of lights in a photograph while others illustrated raw images of
life and its beginnings. It is interesting to note that this year’s line-up was
consequential in concept in which you can expect the climax to be the biggest
winner of all.
Science can owe its success to its discipline,
preciseness and methodological process. It has been thought of as contrasting
to art at times since art leaves room for expression and creativity. Art’s
subjectivity has made science a far unreachable alliance. This year’s featured
works is a testament of the inevitable merging of both fields. Drawing from
science’s manipulation, the works are relevant to our society nowadays.
Art and science also deals with the same question but
in different ways. Their search for truth and meaning has anchored them in
man’s pursuit for everything under the sun. The former focuses on the internal
forces at work in the search while the latter focuses on the external forces
acting on the subject. They present two facets that certainly link them to each
other.
The artists shortlisted this year used the
preciseness of science to validate their artworks as such. Their medium and
content bring art to a whole new era again.
Veronica
Pee and her work entitled, “Pocket
Universe”, was a crowd pleaser amongst the youth. Pee, with her precise illustrations
has been both visually appealing and unifying. She has crossed demarcations on
science and art. Although celebrated, her illustrations are but reminiscent of
a biological image most medical students deem worrisome. Her stance on it
though open up another world that we only can look from a single angle thus
arousing in us a full-on curiosity. This curiosity allows us to use our
imagination, a coming back to art.
Frank
Callaghan has put photography in a
whole other level. His works evoke longing and solitude with corners being his
usual subject. The execution of the artist is a paradox of what he is trying to
convey. The termination of solitude is seen as but a turn in the corner. The title, “Deadends”, is literally what the
work’s form is. He experiments with light to create the illusion of isolation.
The big winner for this year’s Ateneo Art Awards is Ryan Villamael. He has been anticipated
with his extraordinary usage of resources and his meticulous skills in paper
cutting. His work entitled, “Isles”, is nonetheless the climax of the whole
exhibit. Enclosed in vitrinas, Isles is worthy of adoration and worship. The
sacredness of the art resulted from the wholly other skill mastered to execute
this. His use of cartography begs the idea of a land and its physical form. The
aspect of its two dimensionality however allows it to still proliferate hidden
realities. Ryan Villamael proved his
ingenuity and originality in this year’s awards.
Charles
Buenconsejo, a resident shortlister
of the Ateneo Art Awards, has managed to complete residencies abroad through
the gallery. His works all throughout the years have ripened and matured that
made him a regular in every art patron’s conversation. He has made himself a
who’s who in the Philippine art scene. All are eager to know what this artist
is going to do next.
Buenconsejo has proved time and time again that his
works are commentaries on the immediate trends we are experiencing. He does not
bat an eyelash as he unleashed another set of pessimistic works that will make
his audience think twice. His work entitled, “Unending Void”, is a repetitive
video almost seducing you to a light, a path that you believe is redemption.
Ian Carlo
Jaucian explored science and engineering
as he created a mobile robot. The task of employing circuits and other kinetic
materials is not new in Jaucian’s repertoire. This time his work enjoins the
critical issue of human ways and its complete disregard on the environment. His
work is reminiscent to that of a child’s early entertainment but brings us back
to a higher level of fascination with art and science.
The exhibit occupies two rooms. The first room
encloses all the works that experiment on new media, while the other one house
the other comforting, usual visual works. The former room elevates experience
and is a summary of the young Filipino artist’s yearning for new ways.
The desire to create is common amongst these artists.
They do not simply imitate but they push the boundaries in producing art. Pursuing
the question of truth through science and art, they generate works that are
socially relevant in concept and ultimately pleasing in aesthetic.
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