Art Archives - The Flame

Mar122023 by No Comments

A decade marker: Art Fair Philippines features memory and immersion

Culture

by SAMANTHA Z. ARGONZA THE VOYAGE of remembering is already an art on its own. Once put into art, the synapses of a person’s horrors and triumphs may reinforce and influence advocacies, awareness and ideologies. The notion is what this year’s Art Fair Philippines conveyed, especially as it returned in-person to its home at The Link in Makati. Attendees were treated with more than 60 exhibitors who displayed their respective artworks that connect everyone to the inner core and natural world. The keen composition of tranquility and burning passions oddly restructured a sense of peace to anyone who stared at the artworks. Celebrating its 10th year of unveiling Philippine contemporary art, the exhibit, from its past year’s hybrid experience, further embraced the immersive and the i...

Jan192022 by No Comments

The art of thriving: Embracing challenges through art

Culture

by THERIZ LIZEL R. SILVANO THE PREVIOUS years of isolation may have brought Filipinos time to ponder new realizations and meaning in their lives. In those years, the presence of anxiety and fear were felt in different situations. Their despondency may be caused by pandemic adversaries: sickness, death of a loved one, political chaos, financial distress, or mental illness. However, human beings also have the capacity to overcome these challenges. This was visualized by Jayson Cortez in his art exhibit titled ‘Revisioning The Breakout After Despondency.’ Cortez, whose collection centers on victory and growth amid struggles, shared how he became optimistic despite his own familial challenges. “I think it’s so important to be optimistic during these times. That’s the baby step ...

Sep252021 by No Comments

All Thomasian exhibit showcases the changing landscape of art

Culture

by JOHN PATRICK A. MAGNO RANARA FROM PREHISTORIC carvings to postmodern art styles, art has truly come a long way. Thomasian alumni showcased the evolution of art in the newly-launched art exhibit titled Vision X Interpolation: All Thomasian Art Exhibition. It flaunted generational practices and stylisms embodied by 22 artists from the University through paintings, print, and sculptural works. The exhibit was on display at Art Anton in Pasay City last Sept. 8 to Sept. 23. Despite COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, guests at home still had a chance to enjoy the artworks through a 360-degree virtual tour. The theme of the exhibit revolves around interpolation, which pertains to an object’s insertion. According to the exhibit’s curator Abe Orobia’s write-up, interpolation in art ...

Sep142021 by No Comments

Admiring the real Manila through the senses

Culture

THE PANDEMIC may have revealed that home is the safest place for many Filipinos but the world on the inside is not the same for people whose home is outside. Traditional artist and storyteller Marius Cornelius Funtilar, otherwise called Marius Black, focused on Manila’s nooks and crannies. He adds depth to his artworks with the use of poetry. Perhaps it's not indispensable that every artist should do the same, but his way of narration is both visionary and informative. Marius, who graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in 2007, took up Fine Arts and majored in painting. He was conflicted between painting and comics but knew that he could execute both simultaneously. His fifth solo show Manila Synesthesia debuted on-site and virtually at Altro Mondo last July 31st to Aug...

Jul22021 by No Comments

An escape from life’s burdens through age-old artworks

Culture

by JOHN PATRICK A. MAGNO RANARA A DEEP, heavenly version of Lucio San Pedro’s Sa Ugoy ng Duyan plays in the background, soothing and serenading visitors who enter the newly-launched 360-degree virtual exhibit of the National Museum of the Philippines. The museum commemorates the return of 115 art pieces brought to New York City more than 40 years ago. Installed at the National Museum of Fine Arts, The Philippine Center New York Core Collection of 1974: A Homecoming Exhibition transcends distance and boundaries. It celebrates the power of local artistry, encouraging it to go beyond its roots and represent the Filipino identity to the rest of the world. The exhibit showcases modern and contemporary art that emphasizes folk aesthetics and the indigenization of Western art styles. The...

May172021 by No Comments

Art Fair Philippines opens first digital series

Culture

by SAMANTHA ARGONZA FOR THE nine-year of their annual contemporary art showcase, Art Fair Philippines brought an online edition of the event. Alongside digital art displays, the fair introduced the significance of unique online files called Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) in owning crypto artworks. Founders Trickie Lopa, Lisa Periquet, and Dindin Araneta assured that the growing Filipino audience has continued to learn from the fair’s workshops. This was an opportunity to introduce them to the development of crypto art in digital media. The virtual fair can be accessed for free from May 6 to 15 through their website, Art Fair Philippines. Under the ArtFairPH/Projects section is the NFT 101 showcase titled “Welcome to the Metaverse.” It is an alternate reality created wit...

Mar312021 by 1 Comment

Hesu Kristo: Reconnecting faith through art

Culture

by THEA ANDREA C. MAGUERIANO EVERY Holy Week, Christians commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Devouts also spend these holy times reflecting on His life, sacrifices, and miracles. During this season, passion is often shown through creative ways such as passion plays or senakulo. To interpret faith through displays and artworks, Art Show Philippines made preparations for artists to show their perception of Christ in an online exhibit titled "HESUKRISTO: Filipino Artists' Interpretation of Jesus Christ". Last March 26, Art Show Philippines displayed a series of artworks through Facebook, creating a platform to show and sell them. In time for Holy Week, 128 artists showcased non-conventional images of the Lord, from the perspective of the youth today. ...

Mar212021 by No Comments

10 Poems on Love and Isolation for World Poetry Day

Culture

by SAMANTHA ARGONZA HERALDING the significance of poetry, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marks March 21 as World Poetry Day. Since 1999, World Poetry Day scribbles three values on why we have to celebrate it. First, despite our differences, we are still human. Our emotions enable us to express ourselves through poetry. Even if a country has its unique poetry style, it always manifests similarities in other countries’ poetic elements. Second, poetry is a safety net for endangered languages, so communities can continue to rediscover, protect, and strengthen the language. Third, poetry as an art contributes to art forms and it brings an encompassing perspective on humanity and life. Poetry, whether through writing or reading during qu...

Mar72021 by 1 Comment

Infused with vibrance: 5 Filipina Artists’ Whimsical Canvas

Culture

by THERIZ LIZEL R. SILVANO PERHAPS the greatest art ever created are women. Their complexity, individuality, and even ability to have contrasting personalities are anything but ordinary. Knowing a woman is never linear but rather a pattern of bends and turns — analogous to the curves of their bodies and the upward and downward spirals of their emotions. Women are like great works of art. After a long gaze, one can catch a glimpse of their spirit and character. When it comes to arts and culture, women are at the forefront of the past and today's artistry and tradition. Most portraits display women at the center, whether it is the features of their bodies or their pastime activities. Regardless of the subject matter, one can always see the feminine qualities of the artwork. In ...

Feb242021 by No Comments

Above the currents, in between blues

Culture

by CHRISTINE JANINE T. CORTEZ THE PROMISE of tomorrow comes in like ocean waves; it comes and it goes. But unlike the days, three-fourths of the natural world is made out of water –– something that the modern generation of people often takes for granted. It should be widely addressed that the earth's natural waters, unlike man-made possessions, cannot be reproduced. Water, at some point in time, will run out eventually if the people continue to ignore the dawning effects of environmental problems. Therefore, as a way to rouse everyone of this universal phenomenon, Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea together with Kunstmatrix exhibited a visual art show featuring the global history of oceans through the lenses of a Filipino artist and seafarer Joar Songcuya. The show, which ra...