Grounded at The Lopez Memorial Museum

Only few museum I been here in the Philippines and the last oldest museum that I got to visit was at the Manila City Hall when I was still in high school. It’s been years that I get to our local museum and try to discover and learn more about our arts and heritage.

 

I was invited with a group of blogger’s to see Lopez Museum is featuring called Grounded. The exhibit focuses on waterscapes and features artworks from the museum’s permanent collection, along new works by invited artists Toym Imao, Jing Turalba, Goldie Poblador, and Alma Quinto.

Grounded has various meanings stability, movement and inability to move forward.

 Juan Arellano

 

Upon entering the Lopez Museum you will notice painting like a window panel by Juan Arellano. Juan Arellano is also practicing Architect metropolitan theater, post office, seascapes and landscapes.

 

Alma Quinto

 

Alma Quinto is advocate for women’s and children rights and environment. Jutay Installation is an exploration of her experiences as an artist for the last 20 years as  non-profit, community workers, NGO and women and children. Alma Quinto wanted encourages  visitors to be interactive using the materials using the leaves and given the freedom to post and put some message on the wall. She will be compiling everything in a box that her visitors help provide. Alma Quinto will be having workshops Pasig River warriors, Women NGo workers and public school teachers.

 

Toym Imao

Personal favorite is work by Toym Imao the Diyos, Choose, Dues. Just looking at it we can relate it with the Sistine Chapel of The Creation of Adam in where God is reaching out to man. We Filipinos’ are familiar the game cootie catcher that used for fortune-telling game. Here Toym Imao has combined the hands of The Creation of Adam and the cootie catcher. That life as I may say is like a game that whatever the you choose from the cootie catcher will be your faith. We never know what is in-store for us but God has the say in what is for us.

 

This one is another favorite that just looking at it gives me mixed feelings and interpretation. We were giving a great opportunity that Mr. Toym Imao to join us and explain his works like this P/Flight. If you would notice its a figure of a human being the body of a man and head of a woman. As what he had explained P/Flight is for him can be related to our OFW. His work shows that being a OFW will depend on their success or not. The figure P/Flight has markings on his whole body as to say tatoo. These tatoo’s are the airport floor plans of that most OFW go. He made me realize that being a OFW really not easy that making a decision to be one will affects your whole standing.

 

This another artwork of Toym Imao called “Ship, Shift, Strip” he got his inspiration with our present Tubbataha Reef  damage by the american ship. If your going to look at his artwork in an artistic way I could say I was so moved by it by the great  imagination. Making hands like waves that pushing the ship more closer to the reef. In the same way I also reflected this artwork can be also related to our daily lives. We follow were the wave would bring us. Us being the ship its up to us if we going to follow or go against the waves. The chains with the anchor symbolizes to me as that God is always there to help us and never let us drift to nothingness.

Eric Zamuco

This is my first time to see such artwork placed at the ceiling.  I am accustomed of artworks being placed at walls or it has its own stand. At first glance you will just see distorted Plexiglass. But when you get to look at it better its different parts of the body. Like the picture I have above didn’t expected to have photo of a feet it’s just now that upon uploading my photos I just notice. Eric Zamuco used Plexiglass so that he could heat it in a big oven and once heated he placed them in a mold. Every mold is different to bring out its uniqueness.

 

Josephine Turalba

 

If you try to notice Josephine Turalba artwork more closely these sandals are all made of wires and assorted empty bullets. There are different sizes and design so that visitors have the chance to try from themselves wearing it. Wearing one its hard at first but when you got the hang of it will be just a breeze. For me Scandals is like the life we have in today. Every step we take and decision will have its reaction. That we must learn to be careful in the steps we take or else we will slip and fall.

These are some of the other Grounded exhibit can be seen inside The Lopez Memorial Museum. I would suggest that take time to reflect and appreciate art itself in different mediums. I myself is not an art critic but in my simple ways I appreciate art that usually give’s me calmness and time to reflect. With the kind of busy life we tend to forget to reflect and one way to that is appreciating art and its deeper meanings with in.

I want to invite you to visit the exhibit Grounded and see for yourself that I can surely say would make a difference. As for me I would need to get more exhibits like this more. They will be having this artist talks that artist themselves will be there to explain their creations.

Artist Talks:

March 9, 2013, 2-4PM – Josephine Turalba, Toym Imac, and Eric Zamuco.

June 9, 2013, 2-4PM – Alma Quinto and Goldie Poblado

Link to Artist Interviews:

Josephine Turalba’s “Scandals” at Lopez Museum http://youtu.be/uo9fmXqND_0

Grounded: Eric Zamuco’s “Not of Water, flesh and blood”http://youtu.be/62fdVq_fRDI

Goldie Poblador’s interactive glass sculpture “Ang Simula ng Pagsibol” http://youtu.be/PirgqZZaPDc

Toym Imao’s “Ship, Shift, Stripped”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sfXg1P-LOo

For more photo of the exhibit please click on this link: Grounded

Lopez Museum and Library

G/F Benpres Building, Exchange rd cor. Meralco Ave, Ortigas, Pasig City

Museum hours: 8-5pm Mondays through Saturdays except Sundays and holidays

Telephone: 631-2417 / 6359545

www.lopez-museum.com

email: info-lopez-museum.org.ph

Facebook: Lopez Museum and Library

Twitter: lopez_muse

Admission: Adults – P100; High School and College Students (w/ID’s) – P 80; Elementary Students (w/IDs) – P60

Accessibility:

From the Metro Rail Transit

• Get off at the Shaw Station then head to EDSA Central and ride a PUJ marked “Ugong Pasig”
• Get off at Benpres Building (formerly called the Chronicle Building)

From Megamall

• Get an FX marked Pasig-Tektite at the FX terminal
• Get off at Benpres Building

Parking: Pay-Parking in front of the Philippine Stock Exchange building