Junjun's Jaunts

CEBU, Philippines - It is another veritable feast that Junjun Montelibano whips up for his collectors, albeit this time, in small, bite-sized wonders.  Fresh from his solo show last year, Junjun now teams up with his girlfriend to present “Travellers and Wanderers,” a 20-piece (each) collection focusing on the theme of travel. 

This marks Gallery Orange’s newest offering for art lovers and patrons, a simultaneous exhibit for four artists in three galleries.  In the gallery right beside where we are, Junjun’s brother, Manny, is showing an installation video piece. Downstairs, young sculptor Dennis Ticao is proudly displaying his newly-developed panache at sculpting dynamic pieces from terra cotta and wood material.  But on the uppermost floors of the gallery, Junjun and partner-in-crime Cindy Ballesteros hold court, lionized by news crews from both ABS-CBN and GMA-7.

For this show, Junjun prepared diminutive 9 x 12 canvases that, despite their size, forcefully demonstrate just how talented he is.  Bursting with primary colors that are tempered by their many shades in between, his take on the theme of travellers is tongue-in-cheek humor tinged with a touch of the macabre.  Nevertheless, despite the eerie feel sometimes emanating from his characters, these frames are still pieces to treasure, and if one is not afraid of pointed faces or allusions to otherworldly creatures, then collect these gems, one must.

Take for example, his “Trekker’s Stop,” where two hikers lean back against the massive trunk of a great tree.  There is a window carved into the tree, and a ghastly face peers out. Could this be one of those dreaded mythical “tikbalangs,” the fiendish night creatures that choose to haunt peasants while ensconced in giant foliage?  Or is it simply an ugly owl peeking out?  Or even a naughty friend out to play a practical joke?

Another example, “The Medicine of Independence,” is also far from playful.  Here, an imp is poised to give a barong-clad gentleman the fright of his life.  Or, are they actually acquaintances discoursing on the strange creatures reflected on the mirror?  Or is that mirror actually a window to another world?

No such mystery surrounds the “Pink Lady on the Go”, a gorgeous gamine shod in white boots, ready to travel the world with what must surely be Louis Vuitton luggage.  The buzz of tiny planes surrounds her ash-blonde locks and she looks at the journey ahead of her with, a challenge?  An invitation?  A dare?

 “Terminal Attraction,” on the other hand, looks like an uncanny accident of sorts, as the female passenger has squashed what looks to be a man with her suitcase.  She is wearing a Lacoste shirt – it should therefore be no coincidence that Junjun has also made her squash a croc at the same time.  And yet, despite the unique bench she has made, nothing out of the ordinary seems to have happened, as she gazes with insouciance around the terminal, an LV handbag daintily clutched.

“Collector’s Journey” is a personal favorite, seeming to be an ode to art patrons and collectors who travel the world in search for beauty captured in canvases.  This is a more palatable interpretation of one’s life’s journeys, and particularly meaningful to Junjun’s fans. Perhaps, it could also be a reference to his own journey, as the self-taught Montelibano went through various pit stops before embarking on a full blown career as an artist. 

Montelibano debuted, so to speak, in 2007, with his first solo show entitled “Low Carbon Diet.”  The title was a play on the noxious carbon emissions we now find ourselves up in arms against.   His encore show then came in 2009, entitled “Auditory Imagery.” (This show revolved around sound, and the instruments that make them.)  In 2010, he produced “Hard Candy,” a show inspired by the sugar industry that dominated Negros for centuries.  As if that was not enough to keep him busy, Junjun has also dabbled in production work, immersing himself in television and film.  He did a stint in the art department of GMA-7, working for Marimar, and was the production designer for Jay Abellos’ 2007 film, “Ligaw Liham”.

Given his brilliant canvases, we hope Junjun keeps wandering and travels into even more fantastic realms.  Then, he should let us glimpse the extraordinary visions he encounters. (FREEMAN)