Exhibitions

Genre art has always been regarded as an important part of culture. Sprouting from its early Dutch roots of realistic renderings to its blooming contemporary insights, the growth of genre painting has established itself as a chronology of the artists’ cultural experience.

As part of Galerie Joaquin’s 15th anniversary celebration, Reminiscence portrays a series of pieces that dutifully reflect the country’s cultural transitions. These artworks, collectively or otherwise, hold distinct insignias that speak of a period in Philippine history that continues to be embedded in a modern timeframe.

Collaborating in this show are artists whose styles are emblems themselves: Dominic Rubio’s long-necked figures and miniature architectural backgrounds, AljoPingol’s bright palette and circular symmetry, Benjie Mallari’s sharp-hued subjects amidst geometric backgrounds, Richard Arimado’s top-view perspective of colonial settings, Jovan Benito’s depictions of rural life in her colorful signature style, and Averil Paras’ soft-edged Indo-Chinese characters. Their works bind into a perfect weave of culture and familiarity, creating an artistic archive of our colonized land.

Genre painting has established its goal to have the artist simply reproduce reality in a canvas, somehow standing between a photographed history and an attempt on an artistic legacy. Its cords to the present, however, grew stronger with the aim to instruct and educate as well. These ideals and learnings are intelligently curated within the grabs and gestures of the subjects, a trifle shy of the limelight albeit bursting with truths. Hence, the show also tries to manifest the relevance of the mundane things that has founded our society, whether they be in Pingol’s symbolic still life of crops, Benito’s depictions of rural life, Paras’ delicadeza maidens, Mallari’s flag-adorned man, Arimado’s 18th century street-side rigmaroles, or Rubio’s old Manila men and women. These paintings seemingly present themselves with a quiet greeting from our past.

Reminiscence is staged to manifest the heralds of Philippine society then and now. By having a group of artists showcase the past with a touch of contemporary vision, they connote a sense of patriotism and reflection. Here, relevant elements like horse-drawn carriages, early trading, instilled Filipino values like industriousness and familial closeness, and socio-economic resilience are choreographed to give the impression that these emblems are notonly able to represent climactic events in the course of the country’s history, but also unrestrained moments taken from an ordinary daily life. Somewhat altered from the Manansala-, Amorsolo-, and Luna-dominated scene of genre painting, the contemporary portrayals of the life of the 18th century Philippines continue to carryover its idyllic and pastoral atmospheres. These characteristics are relatively present in the works of Rubio, Arimado, and Paras; whereas themes of domestic life live in Pingol’s and Benito’s, and beliefs and advocacies are in Mallari’s. These components successfully balance the curation, instilling nostalgia and appreciation not only for the artists’ skills but also for the nationalistic endeavors they exhibited.

Reminiscence will be on view from January 18 to January 29 at the SM Megamall Art Center. For more information, kindly contact Galerie Joaquin at 7239418 or info@galeriejoaquin.com.