Thrilla Manila
MANILA, Philippines - If Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s famous final match, “Thrilla in Manila,” was intended to put Manila on the map through boxing, MIST and TILT’s “Thrilla Manila” was intended to put Manila on the map through art. That’s how Ronac Art Center’s Secret Fresh Gallery big boss, Bigboy Cheng, envisioned it. Cheng invited TILT, a well-known French graffiti artist, to the Philippines four years ago, and he has been coming back since. This time, he came with another street art legend, MIST, on their “MISTILT Trip” to Manila. It was marked by the exhibit, a showcase of the art buddies’ individual and collaborative work that range from the streets to the canvas and everywhere in between — vintage candy box and dirty ice cream cart included. I did a studio visit as the artists were laying down their final touches for the show, and these are their thoughts over Black Angus burgers and frozen yogurt.
Young Star: Describe your relationship with Manila.
TILT: I really fell in love with the city, with the people, with everything — with the jeepney, with the food, with the dirt, with the noise — with everything. I spend two years in New York, and then, before going back to France, I spend two months here. My first piece in Manila was “Manila Lover.”
How do you influence each other’s work?
We don’t have similar styles, but they’re really good together because we do lines, simple stuff… Before we met, like most graffiti writers, we know each other through magazines. He used to be one of my favorite writers… The MISTILT Trip is not only about painting. It’s a way of life.
Mist MIST: In everything, like in coming to Manila, like in colors. I’ve had lots of partners, but when you have one partner like this, you don’t need anything else.
Tell us about a memorable travel experience that’s not in Manila.
TILT: The first time we went on a MISTILT trip, we went to New Zealand… We did more stupid things than ever. We did graffiti. We met really interesting people. We did skateboard. We did so many things in three days that we thought we were like New Zealand citizens.
MIST: No, the first one was in Dublin, and I remember we slept in the same room with German guys snoring really, really loud… so we put candies into our ears. In the morning, he was trying to wake me up, and I couldn’t hear anything. (The jelly candies had) melted because of our body temperature, so we had a really hard time to take them out.
What’s an incredible Filipino food that you rave about?
TILT: Mango shake! It’s probably the best mango in the world. In France, when you do juice or shake, it’s not like that. Here, you really feel that you drink the fruit. Nothing compares to any kind of juice I’ve ever drunk in my life.
MIST: Puppy soup.
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MIST and TILT’s “Thrilla Manila” exhibit is running at Ronac Art Center’s Secret Fresh Gallery until Jan. 3, 2012.
