MANILA – Inspire. Interpret. Express. Three words that best describe what this year’s Bratpack Remix Program is all about. Held in The Gallery, Greenbelt 5 on June 30, Bratpack launched its newest installment collaborating with four formidable artists with different artistic styles – Anjo Bolarda, Lala Gallardo, Celine de Guzman and JP Cuison.
Bratpack is a one-stop concept shop that caters to the free-spirited and artistically inclined. The Bratpack Remix Program is the brand’s creative platform for visual arts that seeks to collaborate with young Filipino artists and designers to give the scene a boost.
Taking the theme into consideration, the artists thought of different inspirations that would help them explain the concept of their designs. Daydreaming was the main concept of Anjo Bolardo’s work. “Great ideas come from daydreaming,” says Bolardo, hence his title ‘Day Dream Express.’ Driving their dreams’ steering wheel, young-year-olds are able to travel different realms of creativity through their own imaginations.
Lala Gallardo focused her works on the empowerment of young Filipino women. “I was pretty sure I was going to design for women so I thought of that age what would empower them,” Gallardo said. Great Greek goddesses were one of the biggest inspirations of the young artist in creating most of her designs – only younger, modern and more relatable. She would love to empower women in helping them recognize and acknowledge themselves as this generation’s ‘Deities’ – the title of her work.
“Freedom” is the best word that would fully describe the concept and design of Celina de Guzman. Illustrating the abstract representation of infinite design and symbolisms, de Guzman created a masterpiece that highlighted this year’s theme. “So I focused on the idea of freedom. I wanted to show that we all have freedom within us it’s just that it’s our choice, it’s our decision,” Celina said. With fishes and flowers, birds and puzzle pieces, Celina de Guzman highlighted our capabilities to spread positivity and good vibes.
“Sa ngayon parang gusto kong gawin talaga is mga gig posters, parang dun talaga ako naiinspire (Right now, what I want to do are gig posters. Those are what inspire me),” said JP Cuison when asked about the inspiration behind most of his works. “The Artist”, his work, tackles how the artists’ piece is only finished once the viewer mentally and physically interacts and appreciates it. Apart from the gig posters turned into patches, one work that struck many people’s attention was his Rizalborg masterpiece – a half-Rizal, half-Cyborg artwork epitomizing an upgraded Filipino. Filipinos, according to Cuison, must keep on upgrading and moving forward as each generation passes.
Though the artists may have had different artistic sense and style, they all have one great thing in common – the faith and belief that Bratpack will help boost the Filipino design industry. Being a good jumpstart towards creating a broader outlook of the Philippine design scene, Bratpack allows young, mostly unknown, Filipino artists to showcase their talents and be recognized by a larger audience.
“They just need exposure. They deserve to be exposed because there are a lot of people in the art scene who have so much ideas but then they are not being given enough exposure,” Celina de Guzman said. Through these exposures, Bratpack aims to hone the artists’ talents and will encourage them to make more art in the near future.
