by Anna Gamboa
MANILA – Located in the recesses of a converted warehouse along Pasong Tamo, not far from the congested traffic of Buendia, is a slice out of time called Archivo 1984. The gallery, named after the year its owner started collecting rare books, art and other memorabilia, is situated in the far corner of a compound that used to stock kilometers of electrical wire and cable. The smell of fresh paint still lingers in the air, and in fact other parts of the compound are still in the process of renovation, or retrofitting for other ventures planned within the premises, such as a gym and a third-wave coffee shop.
Archivo’s sliding metal door, painted white, glides easily on its rails, and visitors are greeted with the sight of wooden stairs leading up to the gallery area, as translucent textiles made of mixed pineapple fiber by Palawan-based French artist Elodie Brunet billow slightly over the risers, as if welcoming guests to come up and see more. And indeed, there’s a lot more to see: apart from the sheer fabric with intricate patterns on display on the first floor, there are sculptures that derive inspiration from the bul-ol, or rice granary guardian often seen in Filipino upland cultures in Luzon—some works are attributed to Robert Villanueva, such as the bul-ol sporting a padlock in one ear and a lizard on its back, the creature’s tail curling over the guardian’s groin.
Brunet’s textiles, called SLI-ON, are rendered in various natural shades and incorporate different elements in novel ways that make it visually appealing (and occasionally a pleasure to touch): palm stems, silk, organic cotton, or abaca. They can be made into table runners, window panels, place mats, or even garments—and collections are assigned names like “patience,” “memory,” or “thoughfulness.”
Other treasures are discovered within a smaller gallery behind the main exhibit and a mezzanine: works by Francesca Enriquez, their primal colors and lines seemingly pulsing with life and almost endowed with the will to move. A dormant resin sculpture by Eduardo Castrillo comes to colorful life with the aid of electricity, and in contrast a chair located several yards away is filled with over four dozen unbroken and empty eggshells.
Virgilio Aviado’s mixed media work utilizing fabric on a dark background, a print from the late 1970’s by Evelyn Collantes, a mixed media work from the 1990’s by Diokno Pasilan (reminiscent of Imelda Cajipe-Endaya’s social commentary)—these are woven into the exhibit along with a small Fernando Zobel that has cross-hatching suggesting warp and weft—past and present, curated in a single venue to be experienced for the meantime, before making way for the next exhibit. Art lovers will enjoy this experience, not only to rediscover past favorites and encounter new work, but to tread in old and new territory.
lowland/upland runs until June 14, 2015. Archivo 1984 Gallery is located at the 2nd floor, Warehouse 1, 2135 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. Gallery hours are 1:00-8:00 PM, Mondays to Saturdays; Sunday and holidays by appointment. Email gallery@archivo1984.com for more information.
