Excess equals exuberance in Singapore show focusing on Philippine art

MANILA, Philippines — In this show billed as “In Excess: An Exuberance of Philippine Art” on view until Oct. 22 at Gajah Gallery in Singapore, a sense of exactitude is evident, with a balanced approach and deft curatorial hand at work.

Louie Cordero’s “The Choice” painting of a multi-eyed monstrosity mesmerized by its handheld mobile device (a commentary on the onslaught of online information) is situated near Annie Cabigting’s more introspective gold-nail installation with a shadow cast by the gallery lights as well as shadows painted with “mimetic fidelity” (a blurring of the line between reality and representation).

In a sort of alcove in the gallery, works by Marina Cruz (her signature dresses) share the same space as Leslie de Chavez’s Russian icon-like paintings made with dried pig intestines, beads, lace, gold leaf and acrylic (“Mater Piedad: Fernanda,” “Mater Superiora: Imelda” and “Mater Dolorosa: Luzviminda”). Viewers go from Jeona Zoleta’s “weird and eerie” works in swathes of pink to Christina Quisumbing Ramilo’s crossword cuss words made from torn posters of Rirkrit Tiravanija. Mark Justiniani’s “Portal” box (made with mirrors, lights and wood) is on one corner, giving off the illusion that there exists a tunnel to nowhere.

Just when viewers thought they had Filipino art lodged in a categorical box, they soon find out there are more spaces to explore, more viewpoints to be considered, and how more is, well, inevitably more.

“You cannot be timid when you do the Philippines,” said curator Joyce Toh. “And because it’s the Philippines, nothing is done in halves. It has to be bigger and bolder than what one might anticipate.”

This is Gajah Gallery’s first foray into Philippine art. The people behind the gallery got in touch with Joyce Toh, who had the Philippines as her country portfolio when she worked at Singapore Art Museum (SAM). When asked about the method, the magic behind the madness of putting together this show, Toh answered how largeness and bigness characterize the way people live in the Philippines.

“The expressions, the heart, the spirit are very large, almost to the point that — coming from Singapore where we tend to be much more low-key