BLIC, Quatro Hapimeel, Tyang Karyel, Meowinism, Lee Salvador, Mark Santos and TRNZ
Everyday gathers the works of seven artists who would like to treat the difficulties currently being experienced globally as any other normal day, showcasing hard work and the tenacity and relentlessness of creative muses. As Blic, Tyang Karyel, Quatro Hapimeel, Mark Santos, Lee Salvador, Meowinism, and TRNZ create works inspired by street art and urban sensibilities, nonlinearity and graphic stylings transform into novel forms of expressing what an artist goes through day by day, pandemic or no pandemic. Originally slated to be the tenth anniversary show of Cavity Collective (CVTY), the exhibition’s roster is strengthened with the participation of other artist friends.
Blic presents his take on modern illuminated manuscripts with Perseverance, where a letter P shares the canvas with an image of a fist trying to clutch bravely at hopes and dreams amidst the vastness of the sky and the universe beyond it signifying the unknown. Two hands prop the weight of this conviction, while a blazing heart’s flames point up and lead the way.
Mark Santos’ Everything will be worth it features a mask-wearing character carrying a cat house on his back, knowing the difficulties ahead yet treading on. Though wearing geta sandals which require balance, grace and concentration which makes any journey precarious, his figure seems to have reached the top of a mountain through sheer hard work, enduring a slow, hard process but overcoming challenges in the end.
Meowinism’s Kamandag ni Iloy is a series of four pieces of archival ink on paper. Drawing upon a mother’s hard work and the sacrifices she selflessly takes for her child, the tea-stained paper represent the warmth of a mother’s love as she turns night into day and laboring towards a better future for family. Four delicately rendered faces merge beautifully with flowers and hybrid cats sporting bat or insect wings and feet with illustrative notations.
TRNZ’s painting Caring is hard work in strong reds and blues pulls the viewer in with a simple narrative – a plant mama’s efforts not being enough to help the plant baby survive. The words “maybe i could’ve done more” plots the artist’s thoughts on caring too much or too little, a quandary we often find ourselves in whenever we ourselves cope with loss.
Quatro Hapimeel’s piece is a mixed media work made of cloth scraps, thread, paint on fabric and plastic chain assembled to form a tapestry complete with fringes and grommets. It features a recurring character in most of his works, a jolly cyclops-eyed heart with ornamented with thorny vines, brandishing a flag with the word Endless and its innards hanging out, trying to be in control and not fall into pieces.
Lee Salvador’s Flower in the chaos illustrates a mind split by fear, anxiety and paranoia brought about by the pandemic, but is notable in the way it transforms these apprehensions into beauty with the addition of uplifting clouds and the comfort of a loving pet. The artist battles agitation with genuine connections and an inventory of what matters most.
Tyang Karyel’s Open All Tabs is the artist taking on numerous multitasking undertakings, much like an internet browser with so many tabs open. With so much inspiration, goals, projects and deadlines, instead of feeling weak, the artist finds productivity as a source of more energy to propel herself in accomplishing more and more tasks.
As these artists steadily traverse the troubles and tribulations of these times, they show, each in their exceptional way, just how art saves every day.