Intermingling Forces, presented by Open Art Gallery, is a group exhibition of Filipino visual artists: Amador Barquilla, Ann Baldemor-Moneda, Amiel Cagayat, Jonathan Dangue, Francis Nacion, Almer Moneda, Carlo Ongchangco, and Melissa Yeung Yap.
It will be on view from October 22 to November 5 with an Artist’s Reception on October 22 at 6:00 PM at the ArtistSpace located at Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City.
Like a spiral, things go seemingly in a circle, but seen from the lens of history, it circles always forward. Such is the case of the first public exhibition of Open Art Gallery’s exhibition at ArtistSpace where the selection of works by Amador Barquilla, Ann Baldemor-Moneda, Amiel Cagayat, Jonathan Dangue, Francis Nacion, Almer Moneda, Carlo Ongchangco, and Melissa Yeung Yap reflect what resonates with Philippine culture, like those who have before them, but with their individual artistic predilections.
Like the bucolic genre of the grand master of Philippine Art, Fernando Amorsolo, the works of the artists echo strains of peaceful bounty and the joys of the simple life. Their approach is tempered by nostalgia, as with the case of Barquilla, Baldemor, Cagayat, Nacion, and Moneda, or by youthful fantasy such as in the works of Ongchangco.
Showing influences of international Abstract Expressionism alongside those of the local, Ann Baldemor-Moneda, Melissa Yeung Yap, and Jonathan Dangue create more subjective abstracts that still resonate with Philippine culture. Baldemor-Moneda’s foliar abstractions echo the influences of Malang and Kiukok. While Yeung Yap’s use t’boli textiles for her foliar works as a way to connect to and support local indigenous culture and Philippine artisanal traditions. Dangue’s angular abstractions meanwhile continue the spiral that Abueva, Saprid, and Castrillo likewise belong to.
Intermingling Forces represents segments of Philippine Art in the spiralic loop of the contemporary: one with resonates with the past, integrates the present, and marches on to the future in resonance with truly Philippine values of peace, generosity, joy, and harmony.
Together, these artists represent effective strains of what Filipinos value, as well as how these constants which define our culture are expressed at this time.
