How Does Contemporary Art in Asia Relate to that in Oceania?
Introduction
Exhibitions of art pieces are mediums of communication through which artists explore different perspectives in the society for the enlightenment of people. This paper presents the review of a temporary exhibition that relates the traditional and contemporary art in the Philippines as envisioned in the work of Ronald Ventura, a Filipino. This artist is one of the most influential artists in Southeast Asia. His work is compared to that of fifty traditional works from different collections in Musée du quai Branly located in Paris. The exhibition not only relates arts from those two geographical blocs, but also examines the ideological and cultural contexts in which the artists operate. The exhibition also explores the similarities that exist between the formal and aesthetic language of Ronal Ventura and the conventional art of the Filipino. The exhibition is an investigation and observation of the Filipino culture through the work of a renowned artist; Ronald Ventura.
Review of the Exhibition
Some of the most prominent pieces of art in this exhibition are paintings and sculptures whose material is fiberglass. It is noteworthy that the paintings were specifically made for the exhibition is Lugano. According to Bulul, the name of the exhibition is reminiscent of the wooden structures that are related to the one of the economic activities in Asia. Rites of protection of one of the livelihoods in Philippines, the rice fields, prominently featured the use of wooden structures. The use of a name relating to that to this practice not only underscores the culture of the Filipino but also maps its economic activities using artistic impressions.
The exhibition also highlights the religious beliefs of the Filipino. It highlights a journey of the Filipinos through the gods and beliefs from the pantheon of different gods of pre-Christian, Catholicism and Islam. In exploiting this theme in the exhibition, the work of Ronald Ventura is irrepressibly supported by the contemporary works of Filipinos from various ethnic groups. The religious dispositions of a people are a potent testament and part of their culture (Nickles, 2002). This exhibition touches on the religious practices if the Filipinos, with artistic pieces of motifs of their gods. From the viewer’s eye, it is easy to relate to their religious beliefs of Filipinos by looking at the displays in the exhibition.
It is important to note that Ronald Ventura is a classically and academically trained artist who through the use of introspective and deep aesthetic, communicates through his paintings. More often than not, he has made themes and quotations of pop elements from the western culture and traditional Filipino culture in three dimensional works. In this exhibition, the artist combines tradition and modernity, thus allowing him to recreate the charm of layered worlds and the atmosphere that reflects and embody the cultural syncretism of Filipinos. Through a mature mastery and use of heterogeneous techniques, Ronald Ventura is able to recreate the charm of the layered worlds and return the intersections and movements of the dynamics of Filipino culture.
Art is more understood when it is seen under the confines of particular contexts. Looking at the exhibition, one might be lost for meaning, especially when the cultural context upon which the art draws its inspiration is not apparent. However, is a way only common amongst art gurus, Ronald Ventura is able to embed the context of culture and time in the pieces displayed in the exhibition. Additionally, the artist is able to embed the ideological underpinnings that are reflected in the motifs and displays in the exhibition. From an outsider’s perspective, one can speculate on the cultural indentations hidden in the pieces.
Conclusion
This review looks at the exhibition by Ronald Ventura in its exploration of the cultural aspects of the Filipino. The artist ostensibly believes in the complexity and depth in the cultural practices of the ethnic group. In his depictions, the artist incorporates range in terms of cultural practices and beliefs. He is bold in his presentation and borrows on art work from other artists of the Filipino descent. This effectively gives credibility to his work because the themes and illustrations of his work are collaborated by other artists from the ethnic group. This also shows the accurateness of his presentation and the sensitivity with which his art explores the culture of the Filipino. Art is pleasurable to behold. Exhibitions display the creativity of an artist. This exhibition is not only pleasurable to behold but also richly informs.
Works cited
Nickles, G. (2002). Philippines. New York: Crabtree Pub. Co.
Rodell, A. (2002). Culture and Customs of the Philippines. Westport, CT [u.a.: Greenwood Press.
