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ON THE CUSP, ON THE EDGE
Posted on: January 3, 2012
By: Sam Marcelo

Smiling and mute, a pink-wigged girl clad in a spiky dress and toothpaste-green rubber boots paraded around Manila Contemporary like a rainbow-colored porcupine, “Lady Gaga,”as the sartorial oddity signed her name in the guestbook, was one of the attractions in 12 Days of Xmas, a group show celebrating the third anniversary of Valentine Willie’s gallery.
LEEROY NEW’s rainbow-colored creations. On “Lady Gaga” is Speleogenesis, a dress made of sculpted steiner and plastic toys. Also pictured is Entropy, a skull made from the same material. — VLAD GONZALES

Mr. Willie, a Malaysian gallerist who also owns spaces in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Yogyakarta, opened Manila Contemporary in December 2008 after recognizing the country’s importance to the regional art circuit.

“You cannot look at Southeast Asia without looking at the Philippines. The local art scene is great, that is why I’m here,” he said. “The Philippines is on the cusp, on the edge. It’s a lot more advanced than countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.” After a pause, he cited Indonesia as “tough competition” because of its rich culture and sheer size.

According to Eva McGovern, head of regional programs of Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA), 12 Days of Xmas is a “lighthearted but dedicated approach to supporting artists we care about.”

During the opening, Leeroy New, one of 14 artists invited to participate, made a splash thanks to the-mime-also-known-as-Lady Gaga who modeled the dress he made from stackable plastic toys. He used the same toys, bought by the kilo in Divisoria, to make a pair of smiling skulls with candy-confectionery appeal.

12 Days of Xmas also features the works of Bjorn Calleja, Valeria Cavestany, Mariano Ching, Pardo De Leon, Dina Gadia, Eugene Jarque, Christina Quisumbing Ramilo, Mac Valdezco, Marija Vicente, Ryan Villamel, MM Yu, and Reg Yuson.

There is no unifying factor to the group exhibition, save, perhaps, for Mr. Willie’s taste (he curated it). “Shows like this help us suss out the terrain. We get to see how well we work together with the artists as people, and how we can help them achieve their objectives,” he said. “The only thing I want to do with each space is to make a difference in the art scene.”

How VWFA selects its artists is a tired though legitimate question. “Everyone asks how you choose or how you judge what’s good and what’s bad. Honestly, it’s a very intuitive, personal approach. You have to trust your instincts,” said Ms. McGovern.

People outside the art world, she continued, see it as elitist, intimidating, too academic, or too snobby. “But we’re all human, really,” she sighed, “and how we choose is very much based on the initial visual response.”

After gut instinct, VWFA relies on interviews to evaluate an artist’s dedication to his practice. “We’re very much keen to support those who are trying to say something, whether it’s new and exciting or an ongoing idea about what art is all about — love, hate, gender, religion — in a contemporary way,” said Ms. McGovern. “It’s not just about being cutting edge but having a sense of curiosity, a commitment to exploring the world around us. Good art presents the questions we have about the world in unusual ways.”

Both Mr. Willie and Ms. McGovern agree that the Filipino artists are among the most highly regarded in the region. “People are really watching what’s happening here across media, whether painting or installation,” the latter pointed out. “Filipinos are doing extremely well in auctions, museum shows, and galleries. It’s a very exciting time right now.”

For his part, Mr. Willie said that Filipino talent is complemented and buoyed by the local cadre of collectors. “You have an intelligent audience here, a critical audience that that has seen a lot of art. Collecting is a long tradition in the Philippines. It’s not about having ‘medals’ — as they were — as cultural cachet. It’s not a case of ‘oh, I own this-and-that and so I have arrived,’” he explained. “If you’re a good artist, you will rise to the challenge of an audience that is smart, well-informed, and clever.”

12 DAYS OF XMAS is on view until Jan. 8 at Manila Contemporary, Whitespace, 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City. For more information, call 844-7328 or e-mail info@manilacontemporary.com or visit www.manilacontemporary.com.