Artistic Arousals

(Being a thief that I am, I incorporated in the above illustration the works of Rachel Rillo from her "Manila" series; Mark Salvatus' "Wrapped" and Electrolychee's fantastic graphics as drop down banner slash backdraft for the awards event.)


Glamour, talent and ambition collide at this year's Ateneo Art Awards, an event I attended at the The Shang earlier. Cute people, talented people, artsy people, fashionable people, smart people all converged to toast the 2008 winners. I wasn't planning of attending but my friend Dundee Warhol sulked and threatened to self-destruct so I went. I said hello to a few young contemporary artists I know, a couple of friends working in publishing and random dorks I am fond of.

I was rooting for Mark Salvatus, Rachel Rillo and Christina Dy to bag the awards but the grand prizes were snagged by (2008 Philipp Morris Art Awards Grand Prize winner) Marina Cruz-Garcia (a well-deserved win), Kawayan de Guia and Poklong Anading. Interestingly a brief hush crashed on the wine-sipping crowd and eyebrows arched when Poklong was announced winner. Don't get me wrong; Poklong is a spectacular force in local contemporary art but there seems to be dissenting opinions on the award bestowed.

While I was busy figuring out the extraordinary identity/graphics of this year's award (designed by hip, dynamic, talented duo, Electrolychee) a friend working for a retail group sidled up to me.

“The garbs!” Swastika whispered. “So extreme!”

I look at her Jill Sander/Tyler clad self and let out a soft chuckle.

Swastika is uninitiated to the quirks of the art circuit. In an artsy event like this it is de riguer to expect a clash not only of demographics, bank accounts, sexual leanings but also of fashion sense.

While the tony philanthropic and patron set clutch on obscenely-priced "It" bags and accessory-for-murder stilettos, some of the artsy crowd arrives like they just have been playing rugby with hobos and winos at the wet market.

My chuckle got cut short when, true to form, ruggedly hot artist and this year's award finalist Robert Langenegger walked by. He's sporting a loose old T-shirt. Tattoos peek out of his sleeve and he seemed to have been lifting baskets of produce, ignored the shower and rushed to the ceremony to accept his finalist citation. Yet he's oozing that edgy, raw sexuality: every pore of his body vibrates with unsanded, pulsating animal appeal.

“Who that?” Swastika asked, probably already raping Langenegger in her hyperhormonal mind.

“Langenegger. One of the finalists.”

“Extreme” she pants, latching coital stares upon the unsuspecting artist. “But I'd do him.”

I laughed with her.

She's not alone in thinking it.

~ ~ ~

Zones Of Influence the Ateneo Art Awards 2008 runs August 1-11, Grand Atrium, Shangri-la Plaza Mall.