Advancement: On Caloy Gernale's “Sal_t”
Andang Juan (Originally posted on http://andangjuan.blogspot.com/2014/01/advancement-on-caloy-gernales-salt.html) Caloy Gernale's “Sal_t” is not a social commentary. It is not the product of an intellectual petit-bourgeois's excitation of his/her own genitals, so to speak. It is not a reflection of what people already see on primetime news and national dailies. The exhibition is about the marginalized portion of the Filipino population but it will never be a lament for their long-standing condition. Instead, “Sal_t” is a declaration of the economic and political standpoint which Caloy Gernale shares with the proletarian movement. The exhibition's title “Sal_t” is derived from two Filipino words salát and salot. Salát has two meanings—as a verb, it means “to touch,” while as a noun it refers to the poor. Replacing “á” on the second syllable of the word with the vowel “o,” we would come up with salot, which means a plague or a pandemic. “Sal_t” consists of 5 of CaloyGernale's most recent works on denim. He consistently makes use of his airbrush painting skills in creating 5 paintings—3 of which are 60” x 84” in dimensions. The image of the hand/fingers is the theme that weaves all five paintings into one cohesive narrative. Literally, the hand is what we use touch (salát) and grasp or hold objects with. Gernale explores on the image of the hand, one part of the human body, and use it to represent the whole—both the concurring and recurring crises which have already been considered pandemic (salot). In the context of contemporary Philippines, these are feudalism, bureaucrat capitalism, and imperialism—the three root causes of the armed struggle. This is how Gernale intends to put the discussion on local/global issues into its most basic level. “Denationalization of Third World Meat” (60” x 72” acryclic on denim) for instance, shows a surreal image of a businessman riding a huge centipede that rests on top of large slab of meat. The centipede has human fingers for its legs. Replacing the man's head is a drinking straw, which serves as a conduit that transfers nutrients from the meat to the man. The tinier details make this composition more interesting—the seal of the Philippine president on the head of the centipede, the red and white stripes on the drinking straw, the star-spangled tie of the businessman, and the troops of red ants marching and climbing from one area to another. “Denationalization of Third Wolrd Meat” is an exciting visual and mental exercise. It intelligibly creates a figurative image of the actual denationalization that takes places in many areas in the Philippines (or in many third world countries) by combining fresh metaphors and archetypal symbols. The hands are also the central image of Gernale's “Advancing from the Strategic Defensive” (84” x 60” acrylic on denim). It shows two people—a man and a woman, both of them have hands on their shoulders instead of heads. These hands have wrinkles, proof of hard work and hardship. Amidst vast field of rice which seems to be ready for harvest, they walk towards a particular direction. The woman holds a newspaper/newsletter—the masthead of which shows a familiar “B” (for Bayan or Ang Bayan, the official newsletter of the national-democratic movement in the Philippines). The man, on the other hand, holds a rifle. This work depicts the poor not as victims whose plight we lament for, but as proletarian revolutionaries who are ready to take matters into their own hands, and thus, mold their own destiny. Gernale intends to show or perhaps, put into the limelight, a topic which many other contemporary visual artists may not dare to talk about. (Why? Because it could be tantamount to what progressive critics mention as “class betrayal” or “class suicide.”) But it seems that Gernale believes that the time for artists to discuss such matter is already as ripe as the rice grains in the painting. Salát, salot, sálit. The airbrush, more infamously known for covering literal and symbolic imperfections, receives leverage as Caloy Gernale once again exploits the tool in creating five of his most recent paintings for a one-man exhibition called “Sal_t.” "Sal_t" is a visual narrative of both concurring and recurring crises that fundamentally lead to the advancement of the national-democratic movement, from the strategic defensive to the strategic stalemate. Using a familiar figure of speech called synecdoche, Gernale intends to put the discussion on local/global issues into its most basic level and more importantly, to show the marginalized no longer as victims whose plight we lament for, but as proletarian revolutionaries ready to take matters into their own hands and mold their own destiny. http://caloygernale.weebly.com/ http://westgallery.org/ Boni @ 150 spearheaded by the Concerned Artists of the Philippines will open tomorrow, October 9, 2013, at Bulwagang Carlos V Francisco, Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Check out CAP's Facebook page for details. Today, people from all walks of life, including artists, gather at Luneta and Mendiola to call for the abolition of pork barrel. Let us be reminded that this sickening form of corruption is related to an even greater monster that the masses have long been struggling to defeat, and that is bureaucrat capitalism.
Carlo "Caloy" Gernale is currently in Malaysia to fulfill the artist-in-residence grant provided by Rimbun Dahan. The program will last for about 3 months. By then, Gernale would have finished working on some paintings. He is also set to have artist talks and cross-cultural art discussions with Malaysian artists Wong Cheemeng, Zelin Seah, and others.
Text by Andang Juan
The airbrush, more typically used on a model's face to cover imperfections, or on a jeepney's body to make it look appealing, receives leverage as Caloy Gernale once again exploits this tool to create five of his latest acrylic paintings for a one-man exhibition called “Allegories and Allergies.” “Allegories and Allergies” is actually a continuation of Gernale's earlier exhibitions in which he took advantage of the potency of metaphors and allusions in presenting his vision and critiques. For instance, he would use popular tales and characters to signify the recurring ills of neo-colonial Philippines. The exhibition, moreover, is the artist's attempt to make social commentary using popular literature as reference. Gernale explores the use of intertextual themes and parallel signs and symbols in creating visually and intellectually enticing works of art. Needless to say, the artist attempts to maintain balance between form and content. The aim is to come up with socially relevant and intellectually cathartic works while the artist displays uncompromising dedication to form and excellent use of airbrush techniques. Compared with Gernale's previous exhibition which mainly examined the protracted issues of large-scale land acquisition and land-use conversion, “Allegories and Allergies” deals with more comprehensive social disputes linked together by anti-hegemonic undertones and underscored by burning humour. “Malediction of Pina” (60” x 48”, acrylic on canvas), for instance, depicts a pineapple-headed man in a business suit, against a formation of sunset-lit clouds. The closed-circuit television cameras embedded in the pineapple's skin are impossible not to notice. This image is a witty play on a popular Filipino tale, “Ang Alamat ng Pinya.” Gernale uses this allegory to invite the viewer to critically think about a one-man controlled “surveillance society,” something which our nation seems to have systematically turned into. The viewer also cannot miss “The King of Pride Rock” (60” x 48”, acrylic on canvas), which is obviously inspired by one of the most unforgettable Disney films, “The Lion King.” But the painting shows a lion-headed man in business suit, carrying a young buffalo. Behind them is a lush green forest and the silhouette of a factory not too far beyond. The composition of images as well as the appropriation of symbols (i.e. the silhouette of the factory, the carabao, the lion in business suit) make the “king” look deceiving despite the “benevolence” that he tries to exude. “Allegories and Allergies” is an agglomeration of everything that influenced Caloy Gernale as an artist—airbrush, animation, puns, editorial cartoons, and his desire to use art to make reverberating impressions and a long-lasting impact on the collective unconscious. More importantly, “Allegories and Allergies” is Gernale's contribution to a larger movement. Caloy Gernale aims to use airbrush not to cover blemishes or decorate jeepneys. Instead, he uses his airbrush skills and storytelling abilities to highlight social flaws and amplify our collective desire. Everyone is invited to come to the unveiling of Caloy Gernale's one-man exhibit called Allegories and Allergies, on May 16th, 2013 at West Gallery, West Avenue, Quezon City.
Opening cocktails will be at 6PM. All works will be on view till the 3rd of June 2013. For more info, please 'like' West Gallery's Facebook page. See you all! |
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