the birth of venus exhibition catalog

7/27/2019 The Birth of Venus Exhibition Catalog

1/20

The Birth

of Venus

Autism Society

of the Phil ippines

Baguio Chapter

who wi l l rece ive

5% of every sa le

F O R T H E B E N E F I T O F

A L E C K M A R A M A G A R R A D A Z A & M I C A C A B I L D O

2 0 O c t o b e r 1 7 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3

B l i s s C a f e , H o t e l E l i z a b e t h , B a g u i o C i t y

D I G I T A L C A T A L O G


2/20

Other than Here

D e t a i l f r o m

T h e B i r t h o f V e n u s

S a n d r o B o t t i c e l l i

E X H I B I T I O N N O T E B Y J A I M E O S C A R S A L A Z A R

I t may we l l be the i con ic r ep resen ta t i on by

t h e I t a l i a n a r t i s t S a n d r o B o t t i c e l l i t h a t

sp r ings mos t sw i f t l y t o m ind when one seeks

t o i m a g i n e t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l e v e n t o f t h e

b i r th o f V enus : hav ing r ecen t l y r i s en f r om t he

sea foam as a fu l l y g rown woman , the god -

dess s tands po i sed upon the edge o f an

enormous sca l l op she l l , he r f l u t t e r ing ha i rand so f t hands d raped ac ross he r uncove red

body , as a pa i r o f i n te r tw ined w inds gen t l y

s tee r he r t oward the sho re , where an a t ten -

dan t , s eeming ly caugh t i n a dance , p repa res

to d ress he r i n a deco ra ted r obe .

Much l i ke the doma ins o f l ove and beau ty

ove r wh ich the t i t u la r d i v in i t y ho ld s sway ,

th i s R ena is sance pa in t ing r o i l s w i th t ens ions


3/20

D e t a i l f r o mT h e B i r t h o f V e n u s

S a n d r o B o t t i c e l l i

and con t r ad ic t i ons : i t i s cu r i ous l y f l a t and

l inea r ; t he f i gu res , each a r r ayed in imp roba-

b l e w a y s , a l l a p p e a r t o f l o a t , a t o n c e c o r p o -

rea l and e the rea l ; and the sensua l spec tac le

o f V enus s naked fo rm i s m i t i ga ted no t so

much by he r pose , wh ich i s a conven t iona l

one underp inned by the no t i on o f modes ty , i f

no t shame, bu t b y the d i s tance in he r ga ze :

s h e l o o k s o u t o f t h e c a n v a s n o t i n o r d e r t o

mee t the eyes o f t he v iewer , bu t t o cons ide r

a l i m i n a l e l s e w h e r e .

I t i s such e l sewheres each a nascen t ,

i n d e t e r m i n a t e d e s t i n a t i o n ; a f l u i d , e p h e m e r a l

s i t e o f p o s s i b i l i t y ; a s i g h / t h a t h o l d s t h e

w o r l d i n p l a c e [1 ]

t h a t A l e c k M a r a m a g -A r r ada z a a nd M i c a C a b i ldo a t t e m p t t o

ges tu re t oward , f l y t o , and map ou t w i th the i r

r espec t i v e wor ks on paper , wh ich , i n th i s

exh ib i t i on , he ld i n the mon th o f t he i r b i r th ,

f i nd them rum ina t ing , f r om d is t i n c t

pe r spec t i v es , on tha t f o r ce wh ich d r i v es

the i r l i v es , l oves , and l abo r s : des i r e .


4/20


5/20

C h i r o m a n c y C u r r y

A l e c k M a r a m a g

A r r a d a z a

Maramag-Ar radaza , u s ing wa te rco lo r and

organ ic f o rms , dep ic t s s cenes f r om da i l y

l i f e and g l impses o f phys ica l and psych ic

s p a c e s t o m e d i t a t e u p o n t h e d o m e s t i c a t i o n

o f des i r e . Th i s i n vo l ves , on the one hand ,

es tab l i sh ing o rde r and sa fe t y , f o r i t i s on l y

f r om a pos i t i on o f comfo r t , o f be long ing -

ness , however t empora r y , t ha t one mayassess the ex ten t o f he r r esou rces and

d e c i d e h o w b e s t t o a l l o c a t e t h e m s o a s t o

ga in wha t she l ongs fo r ; and , on the o the r

hand , b rush ing up aga ins t the s t r uc tu res

tha t t ame and con ta in inc lud ing the l im i t s

o f the chosen a r t i s t i c med ium, where wa te r

func t i ons as bo th a l l y and foe and

t ranscend ing them in the sp i r i t o f s e l f - ex -

pans ion , o f r ede f in ing he r sense o f p lace .


6/20

Such cons tan t s t r ugg le i s b y no means an

abs t r ac t i on ; i ndeed , i t was though t , f e l t ,

a n d p e r f o r m e d a s p a r t o f t h e c r e a t i v e

p rocess tha t r esu l t ed in the p ieces in c luded

here : g i v en he r r o le as homema ker ,

M a r a m a g - A r ra d a z a h a d h a d t o s n e a k o u t t o

pa in t , ca r v ing ou t s l i v e r s and b locks o f

t i m e i n b e t w e e n v a r i o u s c h o r e s a n d d u r i n gper iods when the members o f he r f am i l y

h a d b e e n a s l e e p .

C a y e n n e , C a y e n n e


A r r a d a z a

D e i m a t i c D i s p l a y


A r r a d a z a

C l a m m e d U p


A r r a d a z a


7/20


8/20


9/20

B u l l e t

M i c a C a b i l d o

P r o p o r t i o n s o f t h e

H u m a n F a c e , A l b r e c h t D r e r

The absence o f hand- rendered e lemen ts

marks C ab i ldo s exp lo ra t i ons o f t he idea l -

i za t i on o f des i r e . He r h igh l y s t r uc tu red

co l l ages , cons i s t i ng en t i r e l y o f f ound

m a t e r i a l , c o n t a i n o b l i q u e r e f e r e n c e s t o h e r

ca ree r as a p ro fess iona l g raph ic des igne r

and a re in sp i r ed by the German th inke r

A lb r e ch t D re r, pa r t i cu l a r l y h i s s t ud y o n t hep ropor t i ons o f t he human face . I n add i t i on ,

t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s o f t y p e a n d i m a g e d r a w

e n e r g y f r o m t w o c o n t r a s t i n g f e m a l e c h a r a c -

te r s tha t a r e o f t en found in f i lm no i r : t he

i n g n u e a n d t h e f e m m e f a t a l e . W h i l e t h e y

a re endowed w i th the power t o l u r e and to

enchan t , even to seduce , each en jo ys a

pecu l i a r r e la t i onsh ip w i th mor ta l danger :

the ingnue i s s ta lked by i t , a lmos t as i f


10/20

S e r i a l K i l l e r


P r e d a t o r : R e p t i l e


P r e d a t o r : F e l i n e


s h e h a s s u m m o n e d i t t o a t t e n d h e r l i k e a

shadow , whereas the femme fa ta le , as he r

ve r y des igna t i on sugges ts , possesses the

p o t e n t i a l t o w i e l d a n d i n f l i c t i t u p o n t h o s e

a round he r . The compos i t i ons , no tw i th -

s tand ing the i r apparen t r i g id i t y , engage in

s t y les o f p lay bo t h f ou l and fa i r , s l i d ing

a l o n g t h e c o n t i n u u m d e l i n e a t e d b y t h i s p a i ro f a r che types and po in t ing up the eve r -

p rox imate p resence o f dea th , whose o the r

n a m e i s p e r f e c t i o n .


11/20


12/20

C o l d P a t c h o u l i A l e c k M a r a m a g

A r r a d a z a

R o s e w a t e r A l e c k M a r a m a g

A r r a d a z a

A l t hou gh t he wo rk s o f Ma ra ma g-A r r ada z a

and C ab i ldo a re ev iden t l y i n fo rmed by

au tob iog raph ica l t hemes , wha t i s conce ived

or b i r thed in th i s exh ib i t i on i s ne i the r a

sob s to r y no r a con f iden t i a l wh ispe r [2 ].

I n s tead , each a r t i s t b r ings toge the r and

p r o f f e r s l u d i c r e f l e c t i o n s a n d k e e n s p e c u l a -

t i o n s u p o n h e r r i c h a n d a c t i v e p r i v a t e

wor ld , c r ea t ing a v i v id and compe l l i ng

i t i ne ra r y o f he r s to r y so f a r : a s to r y tha t ,

l i ke B o t t i ce l l i s V enus , ex i s t s i n a con t inu -

i n g p r e s e n t i n t h a t s t a t e o f p e r p e t u a l

a r r i v a l t h a t c a n o n l y s t o k e d e s i r e .

The B i r th o f V enus runs f r om 20 Oc tobe r

2013 un t i l 17 November 2013 a t B l i s s C a f ,

Ho te l E l i zabe th , B agu io C i t y .

N o t e s

1 . J . N e i l C . G a r c i a , A l u n s i n a s R e t u r n , K a l u l u w a : N e w a n d S e l e c t e d P o e m s ,

M a n i l a : U n i v e r s i t y o f S a n t o T o m a s P u b l i s h i n g H o u s e , 2 0 0 1 , p . 2 5 6 - 7 .

2 . L i n d a N o c h l i n ,

W h y H a v e T h e r e B e e n N o G r e a t W o m e n A r t i s t s ? , W o m e n , A r t , a n d P o w e r a n d O t h e r

E s s a y s , N e w Y o r k : H a r p e r a n d R o w , 1 9 8 8 , p . 1 4 5 - 7 8 .


13/20


14/20

A l e c k a n d M i c a w e r e b o t h

a r t s t a f f e r s i n D L S U ' s o f c i a l

l i t e r a r y a n d a r t s p u b l i c a t i o n w h e n

t h e y m e t i n 2 0 0 2 . T h e y a l s o

d i s c o v e r e d t h e n t h a t t h e y s h a r e dt h e s a m e b i r t h d a y . A l e ck Ma ra ma g-A r ra da z a ( b .198 3 ) i s a

B agu io-based mothe r o f 2 . She g radua ted

w i t h a d e g r e e i n L i t e r a t u r e f r o m D e L a S a l l e

U n ive r s i t y i n 2006 . She was the Ed i t o r - in -

c h i e f o f M a l a t e L i t e r a r y F o l i o , D e L a S a l l e

U n i v e r s i t y' s o f f i c i a l l i t e r a r y a n d a r t s

pub l i ca t i on . She taugh t f o r a yea r a t S t .

Scho las t i ca ' s C o l l ege , Man i l a , t hen took he rM a s t e r a l s t u d i e s i n L i t e r a t u r e a t D e L a S a l l e

U n ive r s i t y where she a l so became pa r t - t ime

facu l t y f o r a yea r . She was a f e l l o w a t the

4 8 t h S i l l i m a n U n i v e r s i ty N a t i o n a l W r i t e r s

Workshop . She then wen t on to becoming a

p r i v a te tu to r t o k id s f r om Xav i e r , IC A , and

B r i t i s h Schoo l Man i l a . She had been teach ing

fo r 3 yea r s be fo re dec id ing to s top ,

A L E C K M A R A M A G A R R A D A Z A

The Artists


15/20

I n v o l v e m e n t A l e c k M a r a m a g

A r r a d a z a

a lso d i s con t inu ing he r Mas te ra l s tud ies ,

in o rde r t o g i v e b i r t h t o he r second son . She

a n d h e r p a r t n e r d e c i d e d t o m i g r a t e t o B a g u i o

C i t y and ge t mar r i ed the re in 2011 , t o beg in

a l i f e t oge the r i n an env i r onmen t c lose r t o

each o the r and to na tu re . She now works

f r om home fo r a U S-ba sed company , a long -

s ide he r husband , t o be w i th the i r 2 - ye a r -o ldson who was ve r y r ecen t l y d iagnosed w i th

A SD . S he vo ws t o ma k e t im e t o w r i t e , pa i n t ,

and c rea te aga in . Th i s i s he r f i r s t exh ib i t i on .


16/20

G o o d L i f e


Mica C ab i ldo ( b .1986 ) i s an i l l u s t r a to r ,

g raph ic des igne r , a r t i s t and a r t d i r ec to r

based in Met ro Man i l a . She s tud ied

A dve r t i s ing Ma na ge me n t i n De L a S a l l e

U n ive r s i t y , g r adua t ing in 2005 . She was pa r t

o f t he A r t Sec t i on o f DLSU s Ma la te L i t e r a r y

Fo l i o f o r mos t o f he r co l l ege yea r s , and he ld

the A r t Ed i t o r pos i t i on in 2004 . P ro fess iona l -l y t r a ined in the In te rna t i ona l T ypog raph ic

S ty le , she has been i l l u s t r a t ing and

des ign ing fo r p r in t and b rand ing fo r the pas t

7 yea r s . She has pa r t i c ipa ted in a r t i s t

r es idenc ies in Tagay tay and B agu io . I n 2012 ,

s h e w a s a c c e p t e d t o O x - B o w F a l l A r t i s t

R es idency in M ich igan and V e rmon t S tud io

C en te r i n Johnson , V e rmon t , w i th fu l l

M I C A C A B I L D O

The Artists


17/20

F i r e s t a r t e r


S o f t S p o t


M o n u m e n t a l


scho la r sh ips , bu t was unab le t o a t t end bo th

a f te r hav ing been den ied a U .S . v i s a th ree

t imes . She has been accep ted to a 6 -mon th

v i sua l commun ica t i on r es idency in Akademie

Sch loss So l i t ude , S tu t tga r t , Ge rmany , t o

beg in on Oc tobe r 2014 . He r a r t p ro jec ts a re

re la t i ona l , c r a f t -based and des ign - re la ted .

Th is i s he r f i r s t exh ib i t i on o f works on pape r .


18/20


19/20

Chiromancy Curry

PhP 3,800

Ar tw or k 9 in . x 10 in .; Fr am e 9. 7 in . x 11 .5 in

Cayenne, Cayenne

PhP 5,000

Ar tw or k 10 in . x 13 in .; Fr am e 11 in . x 14 .5 in

Deimatic Disp lay

PhP 5,000


Clammed Up

PhP 5,000


Cold Patchoul i

PhP 3,800


Rosewater

PhP 3,800

Ar tw or k 9 in . x 10 in .; Fr am e 17 .5 in . x 14 .5 in

Involvement

PhP 3,800

Ar tw or k 9 in . x 10 in .; Fr am e 17 .5 in . x 14 .5 in

Bul let

PhP 4,200

Ar tw or k 5 in . x 7 in .; Fr am e 8. 25 in . x 10 .2 5 in

Ser ial Ki l ler

PhP 4,200


Predator : Rept i le

PhP 4,200

Ar tw or k 5 in . x 7 in .; Fr am e 8. 25 in . x 10 .2 5 in .

Predator : Fe l ine

PhP 4,200


Good L i fe

PhP 4,200


Firestar ter

PhP 4,200


Soft Spot

PhP 4,200


Monumental

PhP 4,200


W A T E R C O L O R W O R K S O N P A P E R

B Y A L E C K M A R A M A G A R R A D A Z A

M I X E D M E D I A C O L L A G E S

B Y M I C A C A B I L D O


20/20

P l e a s e w r i t e t o

b l i s s n b a g u i o @ y a h o o . c o m

w i t h B i r t h o f V e n u s

a s t h e s u b j e c t .

Inquiries & Reservations

Jim Ward & Shanti Isla

Jaime Oscar Salazar

Joeban Arradaza

Crimson Arradaza

Remy Enriquez

Miguel Hidalgo

Vincent Navarro

the Bliss Cafe staff

and

Autism Society

of the Phil ippines

Baguio Chapter

S P E C I A L T H A N K S T O

B l i s s C a f e i s l o c a t e d a t H o t e l E l i z a b e t h ,

G i b r a l t a r c o r . F e l i p e S t r e e t , B a g u i o C i t y .

the birth of venus exhibition catalog

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