CEBU, Philippines - While there can be some truth in describing most of today's art exhibitions as products of misguided contemporary clichés, not all presentations can be pegged as such.
Mientras Tanto - Qube Gallery Persimmon Plus' featured exhibition for September - easily drives this point simply by being.
Celebrating its opening last September 14, the exhibit gathers more than twenty works crafted by seven of Dumaguete City's established and on-the-rise masters of the arts, living up to the Qube's goals in exemplifying the progressive aesthetic assertions of the region's top artistic talents.
Systemic yet overt at the same time de facto and de jure, Mientras Tanto is essentially a vibrant banquet of expression, experience, emotion and exploration, apart from it exemplifying how much the City of Gentle People's artistic talents have grown.
From representational compositions to works rooted on the profound standards of thematic contrast, it's impossible to ignore the undisturbed tranquility of Mientras Tanto as a show, a quality that effectively belays the ephemeral implications of its title.
"Falsified Flesh (or The Labels of Illusion)" by Raz Salvarita, one of Mientras Tanto's worthy-of-mention pieces, takes a progressive stance in the creationist ideals of process oriented works, with the artist utilizing textiles and threads in accomplishing his aesthetic aims.
The same could be said about Hersley-Ven Casero's "Tres (Helmet Series 3)", with its overall execution borne from a discerning composition and process oriented intent that distinctly defines the artist's keen attention to detail.
Jana Jumalon-Alano's "Stripped Alice", another stand-out Mientras Tanto piece, takes a two-fold stance is voicing its artist's aesthetic inclinations, playing with perspective as well as the techniques and standards of typography.
Babbu Wenceslao's "Habal-Habal" gives due focus on how much potential there is in the utilization of non-traditional mediums, with its overall execution illustrating how reclaimed wood and LED lights can be used in the creation of outstanding art pieces.
Stephen Abanto's "Blues: Lumot" and "Reds: Farewell, Butcher Boy" readily affords viewers a glimpse of the artist's masterful skill in the utilization of colors and space, as well as alludes to his masterful take of the chiaroscuro technique in painting.
"Color Studies No 041 - Chromodoris Coi" by Yvette Malahay-Kim and "I Hear You" by Anna Koosman both put the spotlight on how abstract expressionist-themed works can be compelling art pieces that are more than just eye candy.
In gathering the works of Dumaguete's top creative talents, Mientras Tanto does well in showcasing just how much art in Duma has grown, along with where it intends to go in the days to come.
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Mientras Tanto will be on exhibit until September 30, 2013 at the Qube Gallery Persimmon Plus along MJ Cuenco St, Mabolo. For more information, visit www.qubegallery.com