Martin Honasan at The Crucible

MANILA, Philippines - Martin Honasan mounts “The Human Hide,” which opens tomorrow, 6 p.m., at The Crucible, fourth floor, SM Megamall A, Mandaluyong City.

Honasan’s interests lie in using the physical language of abstract expressionism and “its active and static, raw, gestured energy, anchored on figurative work, particularly faces.” 

He explains that aesthetically, he wants to mimic the weathering brought about by the passage of time on the surface of objects, such as erosion, moisture, rust, dirt or decay, or the aging of organic material such as wood or stone.  

“Similarly, my purpose is to simulate an accumulation of disparate ‘events’ on the surface of the canvas, glazing them layer after layer until they accrete or homogenize into figures.  Symbolically, these weathered textures suggest finitude, boundaries, human frailty, a fragmented identity, but also transience, ephemeral beauty, rebirth, transcendence, hope, redemption, etc. Recurring themes in my work address questions of origin, meaning, purpose, identity, morality, and destiny.”

He adds, “Sometimes the faces I paint are a result of a form of Pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon where one perceives or imagines significant visual patterns in random data. Classic examples of this are the Man in the Moon or the Moon Rabbit, seeing animals in clouds, and in some cases, even religious apparitions.”

The show is on view until July 14.

For information, call Chari Elinzano at 635-6061.