the fire within

After more than 4 years, I am actually going back to creating my own work. My entire life for the past couple of years have been spent opening up boutiques, galleries, the hotel and helping out artists in any way possible and balancing family life - so that leaves the remaining 3-4 hours of my day sleeping. Yes, I am still human after all.

So when I got an invitation to do a one man exhibition in Luang Prabang, Laos, I said yes and there came the push that I needed after all these years. My last major show was in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games and I thought I have been more complacent about developing myself further as an artist. So this Laos exhibition in November is truly another great reason for me to drown myself in my own universe with an exhibition entitled THE FIRE WITHIN.

 

The Fire Within is primarily a commentary on subjugation, censorship, and the human tendency to reignite the flame of freedom that has long thought been extinguished. Using original photographs taken from all over Asia and placed as puzzles on hundreds of match boxes, the works represent the faces of everyday people and their poetic representations confronted by their daily march towards happiness, their journeys towards it or the utter lack of it.

Meant to be opened and tinkered with, these matchboxes also randomly contain woven words, found objects and other pieces of thoughts. 

These works can either be placed as installations on walls, tables, floors and a variety of other available indoor surfaces.

 Above are the smaller sample pieces of the photography-based installations from the series. I am currently working on larger works and incorporating details on each match so the viewer can break down the image and be introduced into smaller stories encompassing each part.

More sleepless nights to come...

designing the divine

I had the chance to bring my back my passion for sculpture and installation art when I was invited by the Arts Lounge - one of Cambodia's largest and most progressive art spaces at the Hotel de la Paix to exhibit a couple months ago.

The exhibit was with another artist - a Cambodian named Koun Sothea - and was apltly titled Designing the Divine - as we both tackled our interpreatitons of Buddhism as a religion and as a universal culture. Sothea explored Buddhism more personally as it was his religion and he did it through color-rich oil paintings.

Mine was more of a discovery of Buddhism and how I relate to it as a Christian or as an outsider to this faith. I did it through sculptures and installations made of different materials like welded metal, cutlery, found objects, wires, manila hemp, plastic, paper, and whole load of things my kitchen and my stockrooms yielded (coupled with several trips to the local market!).

My work was more so an antithesis of divinity - wherein it represents things, ideals and beliefs that we should sacrifice and let go of - in order for us to attain real enlightenment...

This was the first piece bought from my series which tackles our search for eternal life, how to stop time and live forever - hence the clocks and the elements of time. It is that fervent search for ways to stop time that sometimes forbids us from making the most out of our lives...

See how you interpret Designing the Divine through my other pieces...

It's funny to note that I wasn't originally part of the exhibit, but the idea came up last minute from Hotel de la Paix General Manager Nick to invite me for the show.

So given the concept and such a limited time to put things together (barely three weeks!), I got back to the studio right away and started working non stop (stopping only to eat or catch some winks!) until I got this through.

The morning before the exhibition opening, I thought that my final piece wasn't working, so I went around to look for a second hand mannequin and created "Desire".

This installation was featured in the last issue of Fah Thai Magazine...

The crowd during the exhibition...

The unveiling began with the lights off and the gentle humming of my friend Jessie and poetry readings by my friend Kristian. The show was curated by another friend, Don Protasio.

I don't think I could do a show as rushed as this ever again! All of my clients almost threatened to deport me as I had to shut down my entire world to dedicate my heart to this. I love the intensity of pouring your entire energy to one particular vision, but balancing it together with a business and work is truly a tough challenge...

*exhibition photos by John McDermott

saffron memories

Last year, during this time, I opened my exhibition at the McDermott Gallery by the Passage called Saffron Spirit. Though it was my second exhibition in Cambodia, this exhibit paved the way for countless other exhibitions- at the Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Raffles Hotel Le royal in Phnom Penh, UP Gallery in Iloilo and iideas Gallery in Manila. And soon in Beijing for the Olympic exhibition. I can't believe it's been a year already!



the exhibition...



with an installation... it was hell removing the threads when the work was bought and shipped to Denmark



another one with an installation. It was a good thing the buyer opted to have the stickers instead of shipping the water bottles to Japan!


My first and most favorite piece. I did the embroidery with my wife, that's why it was hard to part with it. Now in Singapore in the home of a very good friend, Christy.


The first piece bought on the opening night.


Now in Washington DC

Now in Singapore

One of the two pieces bought by a good friend now hanging in her New York loft

The other piece which is now in New York

Now in Malaysia

This work is now in the Hotel Be

Bought by a designer friend - Eric Raisina from Madagascar which now hangs in his office.

This was one which I brought to the Philippines for a show. This is now with my former boss, Susan Salcedo who is now based in Singapore. She flew in last year from Manila with her friend Ellen to see the show in Cambodia!

This one now resides in the office of my Spanish boss and very dear friend Alfredo Roca who is now an honorary Filipino... he has supported me greatly during my struggling years in Manila and he flew in especially for my exhibition opening in Iloilo.

This piece was bought at the Red Gallery exhibition by a US-based Filipino.

Out of 34 works, I only have around a dozen left, and will be saying goodbye to two more tomorrow when I ship them off to China... sigh... it's difficult parting with something you have poured your heart, sweat and soul into. That's why I refuse to put their titles here. I only want to remember the places where they are now...