September 15, 2009

AAA 2009: A silent ode to Bach

"Death to the Major, Viva Minor" was the opening exhibit at the new Silverlens Lab (SLab) art gallery from October 16 to November 22, 2008. Twelve pieces using various media were created by artist Patricia Eustaquio (b. 1977) for the gallery which used to be the location of a piano school. And it was for this exhibit that Patty was chosen as one of the three winners of the 2009 Ateneo Art Awards. Three of the pieces are in the current exhibit at the Ateneo Art Gallery. Again, the gallery's notes on Patty's exhibit is below. 2009 ATENEO ART AWARDS SERIES #2 OF 4

Arteria Axillaris, ceramic
Arteria Axillaris by Patricia Eustaquio
Untitled (Piano), carved leather and ceramic
Untitled (Piano) by Patricia Eustaquio
Psychogenic Fugue, layers of crochet lace and epoxy
Psychogenic Fugue by Patricia Eustaquio

Dissonance transposes into harmony within the location of a former piano school where SLab's gallery now stands. Eustaquio's suite of works is read as an installation of very different objects united not by a message but by the artist's harmonious manipulation of what constitutes the skin, bone and organs of these crafted objects.

The artist's allusion to Johann Sebastian Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier, equally a suite of short and progressive piano pieces that utilizes all 24 major and minor keys without perceptively going out of tune, is suggestive of an interest in tempering or harmonizing divides firstly between art and craft, given her practice as both a maker of art and a maker of clothes. She meanders through this discourse through fragments, wholeness and overtures on historicity in works of canvas as well as constructed and found materials.

What she aims to put together is not easily deduced; these are not visual translations of music. The process does not deign to parallel the making of music nor the sensation of music. As Eustaquio admits, she knows nothing about music and it is exactly this ignorance which allows her to experiment freely. Yet the works are evidently studied; there is nothing arbitrary in the play of color, texture and pattern. These are astute works of design, achieving sensuality and quiet elegance while evoking mixed memories and an unfolding of possibilities. Undoubtedly, it is a collection that comes together as a well-composed and thoughtful piece.

22 comments:

Mirela said...

I like these items! Though the violin with internal organs is too gross for me...

B SQUARED said...

Amazing what some artists "see."

Olivier said...

j'aime bien cette vision des instruments de musique

I like this vision of musical instruments

penny said...

The art in your world is wonderful, Hilda.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day.

Cezar and Léia said...

She's a fabulous artist!This idea about the bones and the piano or life into music is awesome!What we have good inside us and the wrong way that is always surrounding our heart , to be strong and peaceful...
Great exposition.
Thanks for sharing!
God bless you
Léia

Anonymous said...

This modern art is so far ahead of me and my thoughts that I feel like Rip Van Winkle.

Thanks for visiting my Pick a Peck of Pixels and for the comments there about the illustrations.

Leif Hagen said...

Fun to see an art exhibit in Manila! Thanks for showing us, Hilda!

Halcyon said...

Very interesting pieces. You can see a lot of thought went into this.

George said...

I really like the two piano pieces.

VP said...

I have seen worse, not my genre anyway. Who wrote the notes seems to have all the symptoms of a delirious state of mind...

Jilly said...

How utterly amazing. I love the power of these images. Strong art.

Lois said...

I think I like the last one the best of this series. They are all nice though!

James said...

Creative and very interesting stuss. I'm amazed by the art that some people can create.

Anonymous said...

Amazing work! I envy people with this creativity. I love the guitar.

Fio said...

I'm not sure if I like the first...
Funny indeed ;-)

marley said...

I'm not sure what to make of these. I think I'll settle for saying clever!

tanzaniancane said...

Oh wow - some very interesting pieces here! The first one with the heart and the blood vessels especially peaked my interest! Very clever folks...

My safari through medicine...

Lowell said...

These are all wonderful creations! I've never seen anything quite like it!

And that first shot...wow, a stunner...gross, kind of, but I do like it!

You know, if you aren't already, you should be writing the advertisements/brochure for this exhibit!

Such prose perfection!

Anonymous said...

A little wierd, but interesting!

Don and Krise said...

I believe I like the third one best. I don't know......maybe it's me but that first one........

Dina said...

Shalom Hilda. Nice to get caught up with all your fascinating art posts.

(I've been away taking care of a Crusader house in the woods, hermit-like. Near the fire.)

Amit Gupta said...

i really like the first pic a lot.....
regards