Kal-ang
Exhibition Notes
The search for contemporary art reflecting a locale has proven to be elusive. Especially in a place like Cebu where rich historical and cultural narratives, monuments, and architecture abound, it is just difficult to reconcile the old and the new, the classic and the modern, and the traditional method and the avant-garde practice. Many have tried and have proved to end as a disaster.
Of course, there are a selected few who succeed creating a perfect blend of the paradox. One of them is Josua Cabrera, artist, illustrator, and poet. For his solo exhibition, Kal-ang, iconic landscapes are presented with the use of tuba (Visayan coconut wine), local tabloid clippings, and his signature medium of ink. Starting from his house, Cabrera takes his audience on a tour around Cebu. Iconic landmarks like the Capitol and Magellan’s Cross are revisited while quotidian life around the city are captured. His carefully crafted pieces display a strong sense of local color without sacrificing new methods in depicting cityscapes.
Cabrera provides a glimpse of Cebuano everyday life with tabloid clippings that also banks quotidian events from the mundane to the extraordinary. The artist in his endless wandering around Cebu encounters these stories. He colors them with coconut wine, the very thing that bridges the space between his memory and his roots.
The artist’s past time includes walking around the city to contemplate, think, and find inspiration for his art. Kal-ang provides its audience the similar experience.
JV Castro
ACAS Curator
