What unites these three artists, each with diverse art practices? One is captivated by the interaction of different colors on a neutral surface, akin to the way instruments in a jazz or classical music ensemble navigate space. Another is intrigued by the movement of things through simple mechanisms, creating art that is both interactive and beautiful. The third is fascinated by the poetic design of cars and scooters, viewing each component as essential in crafting a form of poetry in motion.
Abstractionist Julius Sanvictores, conceptual artist Marco Ortiga, and painter Michael Sagaran have found common ground in the desire to express their individual perspectives in an experimental, non-representational manner. Thematically and methodically, they explore the imagistic terrain situated between the gestures involving the human hand and the prompts acted upon by machines.
Sanvictores improvises with form, color, and space, creating a trio, quartet, or quintet of shapes and strokes bebopping across the canvas. His art invites viewers to engage with the intangible and the unknown.
Ortiga is obsessed with mechanical systems, creating everything from a tabletop sound instrument to a contraption of 50 custom-built rainsticks to recreate the sound of rain. He also crafts kaleidoscopes and drawing machines. He perceives art as something that should transcend stasis and be imbued with perpetual change and energy.
Sagaran considers the form and contours of vehicles, interpreting commercially available BMWs and Vespas, to reimagined Batmobiles of the DC universe. In a recent exhibit, he regarded automobiles as metaphors that allow us to “move forward” — past the grimness and uncertainties during the pandemic. In this exhibition, he explores the abstraction side of art, featuring an abstracted version of the iconic 1955 Sarao Jeepney.
Ortiga, Sanvictores, and Sagaran are featured in a three-man show, on view from March 1 to 15, at Robinsons Land ARTablado in Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. The exhibition, titled “The Speed of Abstract,” mines the intersection of the three artists’ diverse approaches.
“As the boundaries between different art forms continue to blur, this show stands as a testament to the boundless potential of artistic expression in the modern age,” explains Sanvictores. He stresses how there is motion in harmony as well as harmony in motion in the interplay among abstract, automotive, and kinetic art.
Sanvictores shares why they chose ARTablado in mounting “The Speed of Abstracts.”
“The ARTablado space is a playground that allows artists to throw caution to the wind and express themselves freely. These artworks may not easily be commodifiable — unlike in recent art fairs or bazaars — but ARTablado allows us artists to engage in interdisciplinary undertakings, in the cross-pollination of ideas and skills that can lead to diverse artistic epiphanies. For us, ARTablado serves as a sanctuary for artistic exploration and experimentation.”
The people behind Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) believe in the ingenuity and artistry of Filipinos. RLC has allocated spaces at Robinsons malls in Antipolo and Ortigas to hold exhibitions for art practitioners who deserve to showcase their hard work, grit and perseverance. ARTablado’s impact has been instantaneous for members of the art community who have been pining for a platform where every artist — from abstractionists to automotive and kinetic artists — gets the chance to shine.
