MANILA, Philippines - Book Ends,” a group show curated by Mariano Ching, opened on Dec. 13 at Blanc Gallery, along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. Featuring 41 artists, the show’s main theme revolves around books, whatever that may mean to the artists. With a prompt and theme as general and vague as that, there is a lot of room for variation and possibility.
If you’re unfamiliar with the setup of Blanc, there are four main spaces, three of which are generally used for three simultaneous shows, the fourth being a hallway of sorts. For “Book Ends,” all the spaces were utilized, with pieces mounted and projected on walls, as well as placed on several tables with some of the pieces resting on the floor.
Many of the books were presented as tangible objects. Some existed as actual books, while others became standalone sculptures. There were books with altered contents, some bound books that were created for the show, and others that sought to create new meaning from the existing matter.
The pieces that had pages you could turn are generally meant to be picked up and paged through. This particular set-up invites and almost forces the viewer to interact with and investigate the objects, much like they would a book. Even though the setting (i.e., a gallery) compels the viewer to recognize that he is being confronted with a work of art, part of the viewer’s brain still recognizes the object as a book, and perhaps, the natural response to this is to treat the object like one. That is, to look inside. Much like conventional books, the meaning and the message can sometimes only be perceived when you read the printed matter, and digest what is being shown to you.
SCULPTURES AND OBJECTS
The sculptures and objects represent the transformation of an existing medium — that of a book — one that is designed and created to deliver a particular message. The alteration of the book into something other than itself creates a different meaning far removed from the one it was originally made to convey. It is an erasure of meaning, a replacement of something new.
There were also pieces that crossed over to new media like film, and a few that retained the familiarity of wall-bound work — paintings, collages, assemblages and so on. “Book Ends” ultimately reveals the relationship of the artists with books, a display of 41 different perspectives on printed matter, the written word, and the static image.
Aside from being vehicles of information, books have always been tactile, tangible objects. They are meant to be held and examined, and each holds a story or a message, obvious or otherwise. The resulting work from “Book Ends” doesn’t quite explore the act of reading itself, but it examines the physicality of books and the many different ways a story can look like.
The participating artists are Allan Balisi, Albert Sy, Apol Sta. Maria, Bembol dela Cruz, Brian Sergio, Carina Santos, Charles Buenconsejo, Chito de Borja, Costantino Zicarelli, David Ryan Viray, Dex Fernandez, Dina Gadia, Erik Sausa, Eugene Jarque, Felix Bacolor, Geraldine Javier, Jacob Lindo, Jo Santos, Juan Alcazaren, Katherine Kim, Keiye Tuazon, Lena Cobangbang, Louie Cordero, Mac Valdezco, Manuel Alvero, Mariano Ching, Mm Yu, Nice Buenaventura, Nicole Tee, Nilo Ilarde, Poklong Anading, Raena Abella, Ranelle Dial, Robert Alejandro, Romeo Lee, Ryan Villamael, Soler Santos, Vladimir Grutas, Yasmin Sison, Wire Tuazon, and Zeus Bascon.
“Book Ends” is on display until Jan. 3, 2015. Blanc Gallery is located at 145 Katipunan Avenue, St. Ignatius Village, Quezon City.
* * *
Tweet the author @presidents.