Palace Monster: Confessions of A Struggling Artist

Last February 1, cartoon illustrations adorned the tiny vacant room of Turtle’s Nest. There were dogs, crocodiles, and octopuses, to name a few. At first glance it just seemed like a room intended for children. But actually, it was the very first art exhibit of Isidore Vic Carloman III, “Mangtas sa Palasyo” or Palace Monsters.

Isidore, as he is called by most of his friends, works as an illustrator. He is a graduate of Fine Arts in UP and also one of the pioneer members of the cultural group Kawani. In fact, his exhibit was a joint effort of Kawani as the group encourages its members to hold exhibits of their own.

Palace Monster was actually inspired by the monsters he feared back when he was still a child, hence the cartoonish details. He said that most monsters which the children believe are those that hide under their beds or in very dark places. He also said that children are very creative when it comes to the monsters they feared, as having sharp teeth, really bright eyes, long sharp nails, and the list goes on. He compared those with the “monsters” rampant in society. “Today’s monsters don’t creep in the dark or hide under the bed or in the drawers, but in the palace where power holds sway.” With that, he put two and two together and the monsters he feared back when he was a child are incorporated with the real monsters in society. The crocodile with a tank symbolizes an oppressor whilst an octopus symbolizes greed because of its many tentacles. The jellyfish, on the other hand, symbolizes deceit because though the jellyfish looks weak it is actually very dangerous.

With this concept in mind, the problem was how to do the exhibit. Most artists dream of having an exhibit in a gallery. Since he didn’t have that luxury, he opted for a place that would let him exhibit for free. Luckily, Kawani had connections with Turtle’s Nest and the management allowed him to have his exhibit there. Another challenge was that the venue was smaller compared to most exhibits. He maximized the space by posting his artwork in such a way that they depicted a story from the walls to the floor. He also decided to use “karton” as his main material of his artworks and designed them as cut-outs rather than sketches since “the sketch is too common among artists.”

Aside from his artwork, he also provided two cartolinas where spec-tators can review his art. For Megumi Kurosawa, a third year college student of STC, she commented that the artworks were easy to look at. She also mentioned that Isidore’s artworks were easy to appreciate compared to most artworks which are hard to comprehend. And for Ghea Sinajon, another third year college student of STC, she appreciated the unique way of presentation and also the cheap and recyclable resources. The advice Isidore left for artists hoping to hold exhibits of their own, “Keep in mind economics. Find other alternatives to sustain art. Keep practicing and improving.” Kawani will hold another exhibit by November this year. Be sure to catch Isidore’s exhibits.