An art exhibit at Vetted, Metro Manila’s new art hub/creative space (Unit 126 Mile Long Arcade, Makati), was a creative act of wordless storytelling. Strolling Home, composed of works using jute sacks, peripathetic containers that lived lives of their own, carrying tales and bearing mute testimonies to all the vicissitudes of life that you can think of, ran until October 25.
I barely made the show’s run, but unexpectedly I found a young artists’s premise of medium expressing an idea that filled up the entire gallery’s space.
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The whole creative act of “strolling home” or walking to the communities he does art collaborations with, is where he comes across objects or cracks on the road, layers of paint on concrete. His works fall into the realm of abstraction. Stark, textured, black and white paintings make the viewer think about the boundaries between art and random objects.
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In his own words:
“The exhibit is actually inspired not only by my journey from school to home but also by the long walks to the communities where I collaborate on my art projects. I find the objects I encounter along the way interesting because they carry stories.
“I began collecting jute sacks because I liked materials that carry stories. These sacks have carried things and were shipped to various destinations, sailing from one place to another, much like us humans, who are nomadic in a sense—we carry things within ourselves, wandering around, journeying endlessly as unfinished beings. The process of painting is similar; it stems from my observations of the surroundings when I walk outside, from the communities I visit, the streets, makeshift houses, patched-up corrugated sheets, the tarps, walls, and the clothing of ordinary people. “
Personally, I feel the core of Strolling Home is materiality, and how it influences the texture, color, and overall aesthetic of Valencia’s artworks. There is no getting away from the brute materiality of jute sacks, even if they are painted over .
“I think the process and the materials themselves are at the center of the artwork. They are not just tools or mediums; they embody the stories, experiences, and context,” he says
Asked about how movement, whether walking, strolling home or transitioning from student to artist, influences the abstraction in his work, he replied: “My approach is probably abstract because moving from one place to another feels like a ritual. There’s repetition and at the same time, randomness and an unconscious element to it. This rhythm and unrhythm allows me to engage deeply with my surroundings and the materials I encounter, creating a space for reflection and intuition.”
Wordless storytelling will always engage an audience’s imagination, as they curiously look on, filling in gaps in their minds, which makes the experience more personal and immersive. And yes… creating a space for reflection and intuition.
Strolling Home: New works by Vien Valencia was on view at Vetted from Oct. 5 to Oct. 25, 2024.