Color Commentary: These Works for Art Fair Philippines Sees the Upcoming Elections as a Pop Culture Circus

Juanito Torres’ Ready… Get Set… Go! is under the fair’s 10 Days of Art.

For Art Fair Philippines 2022, Juanito Torres will be exhibiting 12 pieces that are inspired by the upcoming May presidential elections. Called Ready… Get Set… Go, the exhibit will have works are inspired by the carnival-like nature of the campaign period.  

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The exhibit is part of “Perspectives,” which is under a series in the ninth edition of Art Fair Philippines. These events are called 10 Days of Art, and will have pocket shows around the Makati Central Business District, beyond the venue of the fair.

“Ready… Get Set”

Torres’ show is under Art Lounge Manila (ALM), marking the first time the gallery will join the fair’s roster of exhibitors.

Torres is known for touching on social realities and historical points in his works. ALM, for example, previously showcased Torres’ works in an exhibit called Quest for Freedom, which ran June last year.

“Suntok sa Buwan”
“That’s Entertainment”

The paintings featured in that exhibition were based on historical events, from the Sumuroy Rebellion and the execution of Rizal to scenes from World War II, which were interspersed with coded symbols.

According to ALM, his works then aimed to juxtapose “the traditional understanding of heroism as exemplified by history against the difficulty of understanding how this plays out in a situation where Philippine sovereignty, nationalism, love for country, and love for the Filipino way of life is threatened both from within and without.”

“Ang Probinsyano”

For Ready… Get Set… Go, Torres’ works are contrasted against the highly uplifting and inspiring works of J Studio’s Norman Dreo, the other artist under Art Fair Philippines’ “Perspectives.”

“Torres’ critiques border on the carnivalesque as he presents deliberately surreal imagery alluding to this presidential race, and our tragic history of political disarray,” the gallery writes in an Instagram post.

“Cartoon Heroes”

“Ready… Get Set… Go! : The Solo Exhibition of Juanito Torres” for Art Fair Philippines 2022’s Ten Days of Art initiative will launch with an art talk and vernissage on March 22, 2022 at 5pm. The exhibition is located at The Gallery at the 2nd and 3rd levels of Greenbelt 5 Mall in Makati. For inquiries, please call at 09778398971 or 09989937963, or email [email protected].

Banner: “Bulag sa Pagbabago,” by Juanito Torres

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