“…after the pope visit.’
Dear friends and colleagues
Once when I worked in Sotheby’s I asked one of my colleagues there what his favourite city in the world was. He was a well-travelled man with a real love of art and I expected him to say, “Venice,” or “Paris,” or “Salzburg.” But his answer came as a big surprise. “Calcutta,” he said. “Why Calcutta?” I asked. “Because you see such acts of kindness every day there,” he replied.
I feel a bit the same about Manila. Yes, it is a noisy, dirty, traffic-congested city. Yes, there are so many poor living on the street, eking out a life I do not know how. Yes, the gap between them and the wealthy with their malls and mansions in Makati is jarring. But as you sit stuck in yet another traffic jam there is so much street life to see. Yes, it is the only country I have been where I have seen an armed guard standing outside McDonalds, but you do see, as my friend saw in Calcutta, many acts of kindness.
The traffic was especially bad yesterday (Sunday) as I tried to drive through Quiapo, the main pilgrimage site in Manila: obviously a lot of people were going to the church of the Black Nazarene there to get in the mood for the Pope’s visit. If one should ever forget it was a Catholic country the signs on the jeepnies (converted and customised jeeps that act as buses) would always be there to remind one.
All those parts of Manila the Pope will visit are being cleaned and repainted with enthusiasm and alacrity. Presumably, like the Queen of England, Pope Francis now believes the world smells of fresh paint, for everywhere he, like she, goes was painted anew the day before.
A common phrase the last few days has been “after the pope visit” – “I’ll get to that after the pope visit.” “I’ll see if I can do that after the pope visit.” They have cancelled all international flight into and out of Manila on the day that he arrives. Now, almost all the artists I have met here are lapsed Catholics, but when I curated an exhibition here entitled Do you believe in angels? and we had a box where people could post a vote on whether they believed in angels or not, 70% of the artists said, “Yes, we do believe in angels.”
On Friday I went to an opening of photographs by David Griggs at Pablo Gallery. I was easily persuaded by him to buy an artist’s special book – at only 500 pesos (about ten euros) how could I refuse? David came here from Australia for a residency ten years ago, found he kept coming back and so decided to live here. It is the subcultures that fascinate him here; skateboarders, goths, etc. He claims no interest in identity politics or moral judgements, just wanting to immerse himself in this other world. It’s a visual, often naked, often edgy city.
Of course, at the opening I talked to other artists I know already, Lena Cobangbang, Ringo Bunoan, Pow Martinez, Manuel Ocampo. After twenty years or so living in the US and Spain Manuel came back to Manila where, apart from working as an artist he periodically curates shows, taking work by artists he likes here to venues abroad. As he has just sent off work for a show in New York there is not much in his studio at the moment so we agreed to meet at his studio and talk at a later date – which of course I will report to you anon.
On Sunday I met (eventually) with the young artist Dexter Fernandez at that traditional (sic) artist’s haunt Starbucks. We wanted to discuss a collaboration I am curating with him and Eddie Hara and other artists from Indonesia and the Philippines at the upcoming Artfair Philippines in Manila. Cross cultural conversations and collaborations are always fertile, especially when there are, as here, despite differences, shared concerns and interests to be teased out. Again, more to report later
I asked Dexter where he got one of his tattoos from and he said from a show of Manuel’s where he exhibited drawings for tattoos. Although tattoos aren’t so de rigueur as in Jogja where tattoo is effectively an art form and some artists are tattooed neck to tattoo, it is common here – more so than in the UK. Subcultures may be similar but are never quite the same. The way subcultures differ can be as indicative as how “high” cultures are adapted.
Dexter Fernandez at Starbucks SM San Lorenzo
This will be the third Artfair Philippines. Initiated by three young collectors who wanted something that brought together serious galleries only, it has been very successful. The first occasion attracted 7000 attendees, the second 10,000. To those used to Frieze or Art Basel this may not seem many, but the audience for art here is relatively small, albeit enthusiastic and committed. This Monday morning I went to Manila’s Metropolitan museum to view again a survey of Filipino modern and contemporary art put together by Patrick Flores, and in the hour I was there no other visitor entered the museum. Lunching with the curator “Boots” Herrera on Saturday she recalled that her first job was at the same Metropolitan museum and that every day for a month there was a long queue waiting to view the exhibition, however that exhibition was not of contemporary art, but Treasures of the Vatican.
Wishing you all a good week and hoping all my Filipino friends enjoy the pope visit. I will miss seeing him as I am going back to Singapore via studio visits in Bali. In two weeks time, after the “Singapore Art Week” I’ll be back in Manila for Art Fair Philippines.
See you all next week!
Tony
Pope Francis is coming here!!!