Arts & Culture (08/17/22)

Galerie Joaquin presents ‘Phantasmagoria’ at ArtistSpace

Presented by Galerie Joaquin, “Phantasmagoria” is a solo exhibition of Filipino visual artist Averil Paras. It will be on view from Aug. 19 to Sept. 1, with an Artist’s Reception on Aug. 19, 6 p.m., at the ArtistSpace, at the Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Ave. corner De La Rosa St., Greenbelt Park, Makati City. An avid storyteller, Paras presents a series of works melding the mystical and mythical, in the artist’s signature style of whimsical painting. Central to each work are strong female figures, modeled after the formidable Filipina. Paras has been a consistent Metrobank Art and Design Excellence finalist, with formal training in Fine Arts (as an Advertising major) at FEATI University.

2 new shows at Silverlens Manila

Silverlens Manila has opened 2 new shows which are running until Sept. 10. The first is “Aquifer,” featuring works by Dina Gadia, Jenifer Wofford, and MM Yu. The three artists explore the affinities that spring from the well of their respective practices. The three engage in art that tends to flow through the crevices and find their way to the surface. The second show is “Comeback Kid,” featuring works by Nicholas Grafia and curated by Erin Gleeson. Grafia’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, it brings together painting, performance, and and evolving archive in a scenographically cued gallery. Silverlens Manila is at 2263 Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati.

Artist talk, painting workshop, and photo contest

THE LEAGUE of Corporate Foundations — LCF Arts and Culture Committee, together with BPI Foundation, Inc. presents an afternoon of art talks and activities on Aug. 20, 2 to 4 p.m., via Zoom. The activities are an Artist Talk with Claude Tayag, a painting workshop with Patricia Zulueta, and an Art at LCF photo contest. To register, visit bit.ly/LCF_Artworkshop_Aug. The workshop kit fee is priced at P600 (exclusive of shipping fees). For inquiries, e-mail programs@bgcartscenter.org.

Joseph the Dreamer adds more shows

Due to popular demand, more performances have been added of Trumpets’ popular musical Joseph the Dreamer. The additional performances are on Aug. 19 and 20, at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater, BGC, Taguig City. The musical tells the Biblical story of Joseph, who brought the Jews into Egypt. Written by Freddie Santos, it is based on Cam Floria’s cantata Dreamer: What Really Happened to Joseph. This production is a re-imagined version directed by Paolo Valenciano, featuring updated musical arrangements by Myke Salomon as well as an updated script. For tickets reservations, contact Jenny Bonto at 0915-969-2416. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/trumpetsinc.

Madonna, nature reinterpreted at ARTablado Antipolo

Brando Limon Bati and Adl er Llagas — two seasoned artists discovered by gallerist, author and publisher Manny Duldulao — explore the themes of “Madonna” and “Nature” in their two-man show, which is on view until Aug. 31 at Robinsons Land ARTablado, Upper Ground Floor, North Wing of Robinsons Place Antipolo. Bati, a Tanay-based Impressionist-Figurative artist relates the theme of the Madonna to an area in Manila known for its flower shops: Dangwa. But Mr. Bati focuses his attention on the flower sellers, rendering them in archetypal motherly fashion surrounded by sunflowers and other blooms. Mr. Llagas, on the other hand, maintains his fascination with the rustic beauty of the fields, mountains and rivers of his childhood, recapturing the landscape either as the sun rises above the horizon or as it begins to set at dusk.

Exhibit of magazine covers

The exhibit “THIS WEEK, Manila Chronicle Sunday Magazine Covers and Content, 1954-1955” features covers from the Ortigas Foundation Library and the Lopez Museum and Library collections. The exhibit is ongoing at the BenCab Museum in Baguio until Sept. 13. THIS WEEK was a compilation of articles and illustrations meant for relaxed Sunday magazine reading and was included in the high-brow Manila Chronicle newspaper. The mix of articles ranged from somber political analysis to syndicated columnists like Louella Parsons, movies and book reviews, pictures of scantily clad local beauties, bungalow designs for first home-owners, short stories, photo essays, fashion tips, and short stories, poems, and essays written by renowned authors like Edilberto Tiempo, N.V.M. Gonzales, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Edith Tiempo, Gilda Cordero Fernando, and others. The cover illustrations were by the leading artists of the day including Vicente Manansala, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Cesar Legaspi, and Arturo Luz.

Silverlens NY inaugural exhibits open in Sept.

THE INAUGURAL exhibitions for Silverlens’ new space in New York — Martha Atienza’s “The Protectors,” and Yee I-Lann’s “At the Roof of the Mouth” — open on Sept. 8. Ms. Atienza and Ms. Yee are both mixed-raced women artists working collaboratively with their island communities, and embody the culture and energy that allow art to be made under the most difficult circumstances. Ms. Atienza’s “The Protectors” brings together a new body of work asking, “Who owns the land? Who owns the sea?” — questions that came to mind when working with communitiesin  the Bantayan islands of Cebu. In “At the Roof of the Mouth,” Ms. Yee I-Lann presents tikar — woven mats — made in collaboration with Sabahan Dusun and Murut weavers in the Keningau interior and with Bajau Sama Dilaut weavers from Pulau Omadal, Semporna. A unique language of making has developed, bringing the weavers’ skills, knowledge, and stories together with Yee I-Lann’s ideas and propositions, often making strong statements calling for a politics of inclusion. For more information on the exhibits, contact ny@silverlensgalleries.com.  Silverlens New York is at 505 W 24th Street in Chelsea, New York City.

B+Abble design and arts fest scheduled for Sept.

After two years of virtual seminars, B+Abble, the series of talks on contemporary design, is finally back in-person and has transformed into a contemporary design and arts festival to be held on Sept. 17. Now on its eighth year, B+Abble is created and organized by innovative architecture firm Buensalido+Architects. It has become an eagerly awaited event for architects and design professionals, as well as students, creatives, entrepreneurs, and more. This year, the event will be a whole-day festival of talks and panel discussions featuring local and international thought leaders, with performances by emerging local musical talents. The venue is at the Emerald Events Place in Antipolo. This year’s theme, “ReWind to ReWild,” challenges participants to look back and learn from the past as they rethink how the built environment can enhance and improve lives — without endangering the planet. Exploring conservation, creative renovation, adaptive re-use, and other contemporary solutions in today’s contexts, B+Abble hopes to reimagine and inspired a “re-wilded” future with a more balanced, inclusive, and sustainable built environment for every person. The event’s main speaker is Chunyan Cai of Shanghai design and architecture laboratory Atelier tao+c, who will share principles and projects that dissect the roots, processes, and relevance of adaptive re-use in architectural production and protecting the environment. Other major speakers are Don Lino of LINO Architecture, and Leeroy New, a maverick in local design and visual arts.There will be talks and panel discussions on Architecture with Kevin Nieves of Headroom, Stephanie Tan-Branquiho of SpaceFabrik, Quito and Jacy Medina of Open House Design PH, Denise de Castro of DEQA Design Collaborative; Branding with Ric Gindap of Design for Tomorrow, Dan Matutina of Plus63 and Hydra Design Group; the Circular Economy with Carlo Delantar of Gobi Partners; Design Trend Forecasting with PJ Almera and Denisa Ayado of ACIIID; Industrial Design with Jude Tiotuico of Industria Edition; Interior Design with Mike Pizarro of Michael Pizarro Interior Design, Mara Manalo of Studio Mara, Cyndi Fernandez of Moss Manila; and Music with Coeli, Jarlo Bâse, Brass Rosette, Ysanygo. Early Bird Registration is now available via bit.ly/babble2022reg or Buensalido+Architects’ Facebook or Instagram. Ticket Prices are P600 for students and P1,200 for graduates and professionals. Tickets include admission, packed lunch, coffee and snacks.

Penguin publishes Muslim politician’s autobiography

Penguin Southeast Asia has published Malaysian Son: A progressive’s political journey in the heart of Southeast Asia, an autobiography by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. Mr. Ahmad traces his journey of growing up against the backdrop of an ever-changing political landscape in Malaysia. Aged 39 years old, he has spent a third of his life as an elected legislator. His story is one of a moderate Muslim and Southeast Asian politician seeking to forge a progressive path forward for his diverse country. More than a political memoir, this book also recounts Malaysia’s struggle not only for democratization but also for greater social cohesion and equitable development.