1 October – 12 December 2009 Opening: Thursday, 1 October 2009 at 6.00 – 8.00 pm
The Ateneo Art Gallery’s contribution to ZERO IN : Periphery, this exhibition probes the edges of contemporary photography in the Philippines. Curated by Gina Fairley, beyond frame: philippine photomedia draws together 14 very different artists whose works move between traditional photographic genres and contemporary photo-based installations, weaving narratives and notions of the self and place across a group of art works that spans more than 3 decades. It is an astute observation of the development of a medium locally and the pulse of an art scene now.
Anyone can pick up a camera today with availability of digital technology. These artists, rather, push our understanding of photography beyond a mere ‘recording of the real’. Caught between the first world’s ever-increasing sophistication of imaging technologies and a culture of tech-piracy and make-do aesthetics, the Philippines offers a dynamic discussion on contemporary photomedia from a regional perspective.
Including works by winning artists such as Poklong Anading, Lena Cobangbang, and Gina Osterloh their work will be shown alongside talents such as Romina A. Diaz, Ringo Bunoan, Christina Dy, MM Yu, Rachel Rillo and Steve Tirona. Most interestingly, however, this generation of artists will be anchored by historic works such as Lani Maestro’s “A voice remembers nothing”, works by the pioneering Philippine photographer Mario Co and installation based photo-works by senior artists Noberto Roldan, Gerry Tan and Tony Twigg.
This exhibition was premiered at the UTS Gallery Sydney, September 2008 with a site-specific wall-drawing by Christina Dy. It then toured to Bendigo Australia to continue the Ateneo Art Gallery’s ongoing relationship with the La Trobe University before returning to Manila. With each venue the exhibition has changed responding to local conditions, as the curator explains, “Nothing is static in our contemporary world. To be able to extend the way we see our surroundings – albeit beyond the traditional frame of the camera’s viewfinder or being open to new technologies and regional relationships – that vitality I have found in the Philippines in photomedia. It has the ability to capture the pace and the pulse of now and, like the turgent eddies in a stream, lead us to the unexpected.”
PUBLIC EVENT: LATE COUCH ZONE: Focus Beyond Frame
Photography verses Photomedia
Exploring the edges of photography’s definitions today both locally and beyond to global trends. Hosted by curator Gina Fairley with a panel of guest speakers.beyond frame acknowledges the support of lending institutions Silverlens Foundation and The Institute d’art Contemporain [IAC] France, and Australian partner venues UTS Gallery Sydney, La Trobe Visual Art Centre Bendigo and SLOT Syd