‘Red Barrio Tallow’ at Big & Small Art Gallery

Three unlikely painters create pieces that are not quite large pieces but defining contemporary works.

"Red Barrio Tallow" is a group show at Big & Small Art Gallery that scrutinizes three artists’ predefined demarcation lines. This seemingly cooperating relationship suggests a metaphoric progression yet to be attained fully. Three individual interpretations of ambivalent ideas try to create an arguable basis for a collection exhibit.

Significant to each are explorations and elucidation of controlled tensions in the show titled “Red Barrio Tallow.” This is a culmination of the journey of three individual artists.

These Fine Arts graduates of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) identify with their individual nuances and are quite visual in play of textures, materials, medium, words and title name. Older, they are much appreciative of the times now.

Unifying incomprehension arguably competes with recognition and familiarity. These individuals attribute an unending dialog, relayed codifications and disparities to their works. They also start to examine unlikely intricacy of destructibility — implying also to intrusions on familiar similes of creating. These three are a few among remarkable mixed-media artists to date. They all continue to explore on vast materials used to create highly tactile pieces. A visual gustatory exploration that leaves one in mind of the creativity of painters. Further critical perspectives demonstrates structurality in sequence. The beginning of transition and metamorphosis of gleaned double-meanings and challenging contexts played to the viewers.

Jonathan Castro, 35, weaves and patches in exploration. Metals, copper threads and street names that play idyllic sequences in his wall bound art pieces. Using street assigns  on  his titles like  Naguilayan East, Naguilayan West, Pogon-Lomboy, Pogon Baleg and Pogon Aniat seems alienating yet a bit familiar.

As a visual artist Jonathan Castro discovered weaving cloths of metals together allows a meditating remembrance, association and anchorage. His works are the results of sums of experiences and each hard earned accomplishment. He finds the journey a directional course – searching for his rightful place under the sun.

Demosthenes Campos, 36, tallows through with remembrance… an exploration on sentimental events, grieves and mourns on unending stories of plight, displays not the recognizable images but expressive layerings on white filled planes. His own discovery on what is in store and its arbitrary meanings.

When a person dies it leaves a vacuum of longing amongst those left unprepared and those longings leave behind a mark on his works.

Arden Mopera, 33, on the other hand explores linear fields, schematics and red lines which more true to a demarcation of events. A plus on arrogance. True to separation and isolation. Committed to incompatibility and finality. Lines brings a stop. Red creates the link of importance.

Breaking grounds is like creating fissures and sheets that could shift very subtly or very roughly. A natural phenomenon. This is his rupture, play and liberation of lines.

His works have progressed from texturized outlines to linear explorations in paintings. His earlier paintings are predominantly tactile. Progression for this artist is elemental palette play. He creates with emphatic subtleties and in broad layers of pragmatic diligence on his canvasses.

The painter has struggled both physical and emotional upheavals for years and finally might triumph in this undertaking.

The show “Red Barrio Tallow” opens on 23 June 2009, 6 p.m., at Big & Small Art Gallery, fourth floor, SM Megamall A, Mandaluyong City. The public is cordially invited.

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