The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) celebrates the birth month of National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco via the exhibit Homebound: A Survey of Recent Developments in Angono Contemporary Art. Homebound may be viewed until 12 February 2017.
The exhibit Homebound consummates the adolescent longings and declarations of young and contemporary Angono artists. The artists were chosen by their peers to present their works as a survey of the contemporary and modern visual narrative of their roots, milieu and influence. The participating artists include Allan Alcantara, Aaron Bautista, Bernardo Balagtas, Michael Blanco, Gretel Balajadia, Chito Borja, Christian Carillaza, Jerome Choco, Mael De Guzman, Khell Dujua, Aga Francisco, Carlos “Totong” Francisco II, Mark Francisco, Sarah Geneblazo, Kathleen Gobasco, Siefred Guilaran, George Laconsay, Lyndon Maglalang, Jan Felix Mesa, Keiye Miranda, Kim Oliveros, Herbert “Ebok” Pinpiño, Melvin Quitasol, Jhen Salinga, Arturo Sanchez Jr., Isidro “Manong Jon” Santos, Aui Suarez, Hamilton Sulit, Wire Tuazon, Franz Marion Vocalan and Chitoy Zapata.
Unlike Botong’s linear lines, forms, and warm colors that look like molded cutouts, the works in Homebound presents transparent and translucent geometric patterns, dark, faded, earth tones, jagged lines and colors, coarse and crude surfaces, and images veering towards graffiti, abstraction and the surreal.
Unlike Botong, who stayed in Angono and shunned exhibits in Manila and offers to work abroad, most of the artists in Homebound are propped up by social media and technology, are frequent visitors of exhibit openings in Metro Manila galleries, are highly influenced by local and international artists, and have exhibited their works abroad and even featured in international auction houses.
But there are some similarities that Botong and the Homebound artists share: the courage to rebel, to challenge the existing art norms, the passion for research and diligent reading to achieve the right detail of a work in progress; and of course, their love for Angono and keeping its history, culture, and tradition alive and festive.
CCP viewing hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm, beginning 10 December 2016. Admission is free. For more information, contact the CCP Visual Arts & Museum Division, Production & Exhibition Department at (+632) 8321125 local 1504/1505, or (+632) 8323702, mobile (+63917) 6033809, email ccp.exhibits@gmail.com, or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.
