Skulls, Scholars, and Transforming Past Expressions With Fundación Sansó's Latest Exhibits
During Juvenal Sansó’s Black Period, which spanned the '50s to the '60s, his pieces were a way for him to process the trauma from the war. Sansó used skulls as a subject, which was said to be inspired by the imagery of such in Charles Baudelaire’s Artificial Paradise.
The same concept is explored in Fundación Sansó's two ongoing exhibitions, giving them a modern, jazzed-up twist. In Past Expressing, young sculptor Pepe Mendoza created these resin casts of a clay sculpture interpretation of one of Sansó' paintings. The foundation hopes to raise funds for its scholarship program for art students in Bulacan State University from them.
"The Birth of Athena" (2022) by Toym Imao, Mixed Media.
"Past Expressing (After Sanso)" (2022) by Pepe Mendoza, Resin and LED Lights.
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Artists like Agnes Arellano, Richard Buxani, Jonathan Dangue, Janos Delacruz, Louie Ignacio, and Kenneth Montegrande, among others, contributed to the exhibit by painting the resin casts. Michael Cacnio, his son Teo, Anton Del Castillo, Kristine Lim, and more each provided sculptures, too. Toym Imao, meanwhile, showcased his sculptural interpretation of sorts called “Birth of Athena.” The piece is a radical reinterpretation of the skull emerging from a sculpted head.
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"Waiting" (2022) by Michael Cacnio, Mixed Media.
"QuaranTeams" (2022) by Jon Miguel Montemayor, Acrylic on Canvas, and "NEIGHBORHOOD" (2022) by Charles Andrei Espiritu, Acrylic on Canvas.
The second exhibition, on the other hand, features pieces from the latest batch of Sansó scholars. Pamana sa Panahon ng Pagbabago has works by the current batch of Sansó scholars at the Bulacan State University. The exhibit, which was structured as a competition, is Fundación Sansó's way of introducing these up-and-coming artists to art practitioners, gallerists, and collectors.
Noreen Alfonso, Jack De Castro, Geofrey Allan Diezma, John Niño S. Esguerra, Charles Andrei Espiritu, Kent Francis Macapagal, John Miguel St. Montemayor, Marc Louie Punongbayan, and Miguel Voluntad are all part of the current program. The underlying theme looks at how the world is adapting to the social changes brought about by the pandemic.
These works will be made available for purchase through Art Lounge Manila. Both exhibitions run until November 12, 2022.
