MANILA, Philippines - An Impy Pilapil show is always an absolute treat: A truly exquisite experience. You see things that are not bound by convention; movement that has both purpose and intention yet does not buckle under the pressure of meaning or the utter pretense of meaningfulness.
The brand-new series of works found in her latest shows “Spira” at the Avellana Gallery in Pasay City and “Aquabella” at the Alliance Française are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Glass spheres fixed upon stainless steel constructs likened to droplets of water on a long curving leaf aptly dubbed “Dewdrops” dazzle and distract us from the opening crowd. There was a collective whispering amid the world in attendance. “Brilliant!” was often heard hovering among viewers, and I couldn’t help but agree.
It was quite cerebral yet poetically serene at times. Amid throngs of friends, admirers, enthusiasts and guests, one can still lose himself within the undeniably astute approach the artist has in portraying aspects of life. Infusing inanimate media such as stone, glass and refined steel with living energy and the aura of organic vibrancy.
As you enter both shows, you are greeted by near monumental sculptures that seemingly dance to the slow galactic rhythm of creation! At the Alliance Française is the first of the “Dewdrops” series: a tall, freestanding sculpture shaped like a giant blade of grass with glass spheres upon its edges reminiscent of the morning dew that make fields glisten under the rising sun. Meanwhile at the entrance of Avellana Gallery stands the largest piece of the twin exhibits: A white marble spire resembling what I perceive to be a fresh bamboo shoot, springing forth and blooming into a hollowed out enveloping form. It rises as if to defiantly proclaim life like that of a sapling growing out of concrete and yet it also beckons you to come and feel its embrace… There is a space within the “folds” of this sculpture where anyone can step into and experience the protective sanctuary it provides.
As we walk past these initial works we are then held within the always familiar yet never stagnant forms of water in lustrous sheet glass. These pieces glow with a life all their own and transfix the viewer with the pleasant simplicity of their forms yet wondrously oblivious to the sophisticated process that goes into the creation of each piece.
There are more “Dewdrops” within each exhibit, and they all relate to each other by their signature glass spheres mimicking droplets of moisture yet each stands apart from the last as if they all have their own distinct personalities. At the Alliance Française, one of these masterpieces stands like a single reed that remained aloft after a strong rain shower, shimmering in the light. One of its counterparts at Avellana Gallery hugs the corner of one of the rooms like a garden spider’s web at dawn… It too has beads of water made from glass spheres that cling to its form.
For these two simultaneous shows, Pilapil has taken inspiration from her unending journey to uncover the secrets behind life’s mysteries. To answer questions that science alone cannot satisfy. She believes that there is a greater force that ties all life in the universe together and the artist has taken it upon herself to share this knowledge with us all.