FAITH AND REASON

MANILA CONTEMPORARY CONFRONTS THE SACRED AND THE PROFANE AROUND SOUTHEAST ASIA IN FAITH AND REASON

Religion and spirituality are two key influences in personal and cultural life, as belief systems occupy various positions in social strata through individual appeal. Faith and reason aims to cover the spectrum of religious iconography (as selected by artists within the SEA region), from its creation and abstraction through history and tradition, to the consumption of its supposed 'meanings' and 'uses'. Such iconography extends beyond the institutions from which they originate, and are finally appropriated by contemporary culture, only to produce 'representations' which subsequently, represent something entirely different.

With a variety of styles from Southeast Asian artists such as Ahmad Zakii Anwar (Malaysia), Mella Jaarsma (Indonesia), Agus Baqul Purnomo (Indonesia), Filippo Sciascia (Italianbased in Indonesia), Pintor Sirait (Indonesia), Manit Sriwanichpoom (Thailand), Sri Astari (Indonesia), Jason Wee (Singapore), and Made Wijaya (Indonesia). together with Filipino artists Yason Banal, Andres Barrioquinto, Frankie Callaghan, Valeria Cavestany, Roberto Chabet, Mariano Ching, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Kiko Escora, Patty Eustaquio, Maya Muňoz, Leeroy New, Mark Salvatus, Popo San Pascual, Gerry Tan and Trek Valdizno, Faith and Reason features artworks as varied as the exhibition's subject.

And to open alongside Faith and Reason is Catching The Spirit of a Heritage, a solo exhibition of Guy Custodio at the second floor gallery. Guy Custodio is a Bohol-based artist whose works depicts the religious heritage of his adopted homeprovince.

Faith and Reason will open with a Pagdiwata – a blessing ritual of Palaweno origins - performance by Billy Bonnevie. Faith and Reason and Catching the spirit of a heritage open on Saturday, 22 May 2010 at 6pm in Manila Contemporary. The exhibition will run until 13 June 2010. Manila Contemporary is located at Whitespace, 2314 Pasong Tamo Extension, Brgy. Magallanes, Makati City. For inquiries about the exhibition, please contact Sidd at 844 7328 or email to s.perez@manilacontemporary.com