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LATITUDES.
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE PHILIPPINES
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30.8.10
Siren's Hall
Visual arts and Music have always had a particular link. What with all the music one needs to listen to while making art, to the reference artists have been making in their art works from Mondrian's Boogie Woogie Broadway to Bencabs rockstar portraits to all the art bands that have cropped up from art schools to all the noise and fury sound art makes. Siren's Hall came up as a way to tie up music and art together not as cover art to a bands album but as a separate project that talks about music in a visual way whether it be a visual artist collaborating with a musician, or musicians using visual art to convey music , or visual artists using sound and music to make their projects. The people invited to the show are usually involved in the arts. It is a celebration of the ongoing love the visual art has for music and a way to engage in experimentation and play.
Participating artistsAllan Balisi, Bru Sim, Dexter Fernandez, Dina Gadia, Enteng Viray, Erick Encinares, Eugene Jarque, Gani Simpliciano, Gary Ross Pastrana, Kanamura Hitoshi, Kat Medina, Louie Cordero, Lena Cobangbang, Lyle Buencamino, Lourd de Veyra, Mariano Ching, Mark Salvatus, Marcus Nada, Mike Munoz, MM Yu, Masi Solano, Manuel Alvero, Nice Buenaventura, Poklong Anading, Pow Martinez, Romeo Lee, Raena Abella, Radioactive Sago Project, Sam Kiyoumarsi, Sleepyheads, Tim Brown, Vic Balanon
http://www.mo-space.net/
vintage poster series
please remember me
ante-nuptial
conversation of naivete
die die may darling
a dog of plunder
her artificial friends
son of rashieda
come on pablo come on
blissfully hell
25.8.10
-+*
There can be no way that people can be broken down into modest portrayals for Dexter Fernandez. Instead he provides a certain kind of abundance to them. It is true that they are straightforward and flat at first, having being shot with a camera's automatic setting, fixed at a certain equilibrium (a 0, a center, lacking excess and nothing short of a “without -”). In fact, it is at this platform that they are made backgrounds – these photographs – of themselves. These assemblage portraits, as gestures of familiarity, are of Dexter's friends and family – some directly and exactly associated while a number stand as incognito subjects filling in for the continents of Dexter's world/s.
As basic universal symbols as “-”, “+” and “” are, they contain a list of what they might signify. Primarily used in mathematical equations, these symbols are selected by Dexter to layers of personality and narratives attached to his portraits. As much as the “-” sign would connote a negative quality, it can also point to the process of “subtracting” a persona – this happening in events of contradiction or when they are disproved, criticized or judged badly. This “-” sign is applied by Dexter through symbols or texts that are obviously perverse or loaded with humorous vitriol. On the other hand, “+” can point to the brighter, hopeful elements in a portrait. Likewise, it relates to the constructive “additions” Dexter attaches to these people. An “” may encompass both former signs as a footnote – that beyond deductions and additions there is still relevant data on the side, giving the context of these symbols and people themselves and in turn creates the “bigger picture.”
Dexter shows signs as process to shaping our perspective on people. From the immediacy in the shots of these people, he proceeds to etch, stitch and fit together cut outs on the photographs in a likewise fashion as he breathes visual, symbolic life into the unseen layers of their persona. An example that these symbols represent an extraneous perspective that is self-conscious is that most tend to hover in the background and around, and not stringently embedded into characters.
Certainly people cannot be encapsulated into slight representations as Dexter proves in -+*. Therefore, what makes us his portraits verging on various media of picture-making can only show the complexity of the people in close proximity to his physical space and affections as well as the certain issues of faith, socio-politics, personal progress and individual transgression they, or Dexter himself, encounter.
Le Fool. A fellow non-believer, this chum of Dex likewise calls to mind the so-called folly of revering religious icons and other practices of a formidable faith institution. Using the icon of Doraemon, he states his opinion on icons as a form of idolatry who share no difference to the reverence attributed to Doraemon. DILLIGAF stands for “Do I look like I give a fuck.”
The Maiden. The characters translate as “She's wearing a nice dress.” This work questions our perception of beauty, and the dress that the figure wears are flab and the tattoos (which, in turn are collected symbols of physical attractiveness, self-assurance and innocence).
The Warrior. In his sitting stance, the character of this work is already establishing himself as one of might. Other indications of his warrior nature is of the helmet and the Shiva multiple arms. Despite this, demons and other dark figures lurk, making known the adversaries the warrior needs to get over. His tattoo indicates his unpretentiousness – animal being of no other agenda than fulfill instincts.
The High Priestess. Situated in a sanctum, the character is undressed in every state of being, thus allowing the release of neutral to hopeful elements. Symbols of purity and harmony mark her body as she settles in a comfort zone where she needs not to hide anything.