"2 VIEWS" TWO-MAN EXHIBIT OF WORKS BY ROSS CAPILI AND PINGGOT ZULUETA OPENING AT GALERIE FRANCESCA ON SEPTEMBER 1
Abstraction requires a certain mindset. The artist needs to balance his emotions with an affinity for his chosen medium. It also requires a desire to experiment and push the boundaries of what his practice can accomplish. What more when two abstractionists hold an exhibition together?
Philosopher Jean Piaget said that, "Reflective abstraction, however, is based not on individual actions but on coordinated actions." Perhaps this is the best way to describe the two man show of artists Ross Capili and Pinggot Zulueta. The two artists are stalwarts in the field of photography and photojournalism, but both have burgeoning abstraction practices that are complex and highly nuanced. Individually, they translate the process of photography into abstracted forms that reveals both intellectual depth and technical talent. The resulting show is a combination of these two practices of like-minded artists, using their artworks as a staging point into a larger discourse into the nature of balance.
The exhibition, entitled "2 Views," brings these two artists together for the first time. It will open at Galerie Francesca in Megamall on September 1 at 6:00PM. Galerie Francesca is located on the 4th floor of SM Megamall Building A, Mandaluyong City. They may be reached through their landline phone at (632) 570-9495 or email at galeriefrancesca.mega@gmail.com.
Multi-awarded artist Ross Capili uses the flowing nature of Asian calligraphy as an inspiration for his new works. Using the spontaneity associated with Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, Capili works with glass and lacquered acrylic to bring about a different kind of art. The series was first conceptualized in 1998 for a show in Ayala Museum. However, the lacquer fumes were difficult to deal with. So Capili spent the next few years working on the series, and the works in the exhibition will be the first time the public can view them.
With over 30 exhibits under his belt in a career that spans decades, Capili's works in the exhibit not only reflects on the entirety of his oeuvre, but his philosophies as well. "Floating Thoughts," for instance, can be viewed through the prism of emotional calm. Like many of the works, the painting wasn't planned, giving it a "soft" touch that radiates with tranquillity. Likewise, "Song Imprints," is an abstraction of what Capili feels when listening to one of his cherished vinyl records.
The works of Jose "Pinggot" Zulueta, on the other hand, is an evolution of his abstract practice that now examines the role of geometric figurations to the concept of balance and harmony. The UST-educated Zulueta is ostensibly known for his Manila Bulletin series on the work spaces of visual artists, Zulueta's concern is of the multidude of perspectives that abstraction can afford. "Chasing Lines I" is representative of this approach. Against a purely abstracted backdrop, Zulueta uses lines in ever-changing viewpoints that allows the viewer to consider the very nature of perspective.
The works of both Ross Capili and Pinggot Zulueta come together in this one-of-a-kind exhibition that also serves as a precursor to their participation in the 2014 Langkawi Art Biennale and the 2014 Malacca International Contemporary Art Festival in Malaysia. "2 Views" is an art event that definitely should not be missed.
