The Living Room

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

2010-03-01T20:05:00.005+08:00

ME AND MY STAR ARE SUMMERING IN SHORTS...

A million and one thanks to Star Blu for the great shorts! Aw. You guys are too sweet! Star Blu does swimwear for both daddies and their kids. So here I am with my eldest son all dressed up for the summer. I'm bringing these shorts to Corregidor this weekend. They dry really easy and are extremely soft.

Check out Star Blu's site here.

And if you want to buy a pair of matching shorts for you and your junior, log onto thier local site here. Or check out their stocks at Amanpulo and Discovery Shores Boracay.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

2010-03-01T16:36:00.001+08:00

TORONTO CALLING...

Kindly allow me to introduce you all to the current artists-in-residence, KAPISANAN members Alex Felipe (left) and Vince Galvez (right), two photographer/film-makers from Toronto.

Which is in Canada.

We look forward to seeing what they come up with during their four months in the Philippines. Stay tuned to this space for updates.

And log onto their blog for their points of view and what they have been through:

www.balikbayanproject.wordpress.com

OOPS. I CHANGED MY MIND...

2010-01-05T17:49:00.001+08:00

Sorry Folks. Forget Noynoy. I'm going for Gilbert Teodoro.

Learn more about him on gibo.ph

THIS IS WHAT NOYNOY HAS DONE..

2009-09-10T09:06:00.004+08:00

Thank you Mai Mislang for this information.

I'm getting more and more convinced that Noynoy just might be the man to vote for. I used to think that his greatest asset was not what he has done, but what he hasn't done. But apparently, he's done quite a bit as legislator. I especially like the bill requiring the regular maintenance and preservation of all public infrastructure.

I can't wait to see what he will look like post makeover.

And will there be a Palace wedding as well? Huy, Korina. Sayang. Joke only.

SENATOR BENIGNO “NOYNOY” S. AQUINO III ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN PUBLIC SERVICE

Senator Noynoy Aquino is vigilant in his pursuit of truth, justice and freedom, the fundamental principles that make democracy work in this country that his parents had likewise fought hard to restore. His commitment to preserve, strengthen and continue their legacy is evident in his accomplishments.

I. Positions held
Chairman, Committee on Local Government
Co-chair, Committee on Justice and Human Rights

II. Committee Membership
• Accounts
• Economic Affairs
• Education, Arts and Culture
• Environment and Natural Resources
• Government Corporations and Public Enterprises
• Justice and Human Rights
• National Defense and Security
• Peace, Reunification and Reconciliation
• Public Works
• Trade and Commerce
• Urban Planning, Housing and Development
• Ways and Means
• Youth, Women and Family Relations

III. Senate Bills
Senate Bill No. 1370 – an act granting an annual productivity incentive to all workers in the private sector, establishing mechanisms for its implementation, and for other purposes

Senate Bill No. 1719 – an act limiting the re-appointment of presidential nominees by-passed by the Commission on Appointments (CA)

Senate Bill No. 1710 – an act banning the re-appointment of a regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) who has already served the full term

Senate Bill No. 2035 – an act requiring the regular maintenance and preservation of all public infrastructures, establishing mechanisms for its implementation and for other purposes

Senate Bill No. 2036 – an act increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 6727

Senate Bill 2159 – an act adopting the doctrine of superior responsibility to all actions involving military personnel, members of the Philippine National Police and other civilians involved in law enforcement

Senate Bill 2160 – an act amending Section 4 of RA 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act to further restrict exemptions to the requirement of public bidding

Senate Bill 2978 – an act amending the DILG Act to further clarify the relationship between local chief executives and their respective local police chiefs

Senate Bill 3121 – the Budget Impoundment Control Act, which seeks to strengthen legislative oversight over executive spending

IV. Senate Resolutions
Senate Resolution No. 190 – investigating the exercise and implementation of the powers of local chief executives under Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991” in relation to Republic Act 6975 known as the “Philippine National Police (PNP) Law”
and Republic Act 8551 known as “The PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998”

Senate Resolution No. 205 – investigating the bomb explosion at the House of Representatives, condemning in the strongest possible terms the recent bombing at the House of Representatives, extending sympathies to the victims and calling on authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into this incident

Senate Resolution No. 229 – directing the appropriate Senate committees to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the circumstances leading to the arrest and ‘processing’ of journalists and media personalities after the Manila Peninsula standoff on 29 November 2007

V. Fiscalizer
The responsibilities of a senator go beyond the drafting of legislation or the creation of policies. As a true representative of the people, Senator Aquino has consistently voiced his concerns on several issues, drawing attention to the anomalies in our current administration.

2009 General Appropriations Act (GAA)
By vigorously examining the General Appropriations Act for 2009 submitted by the Executive, Senator Aquino was able to propose key amendments to the 2009 GAA that seek to tighten congressional oversight on the executive’s use of public funds.

Champion of Human Rights and People’s Participation
At the heart of all legislative and policy-making initiatives is the development and welfare of the people. Senator Aquino has sought the proper relocation of informal settlers and the delineation of authority of parties involved in demolitions such as the MMDA. The bill amending the UDHA is currently underway.

Through his privilege speeches, Senator Aquino has drawn attention to the plight of desaparecidos and victims of extra-judicial killings. He introduced substantial amendments to the Cooperative Code to make it more responsive to the needs of the marginalized sector for which the code was enacted. They are meant to strengthen the cooperative movement by providing for transparent measures for members and officers of cooperatives.

He is also part of the bicameral debates on the Anti-Torture Act.

Accountability to the People
Senator Aquino actively participated in the hearings that investigated a number of reported scandals involving the alleged misuse of public funds, such as the ZTE-NBN deal, the Euro Generals and the Fertilizer Fund scam. These hearings brought to light the need for increased transparency and accountability in the disbursal of taxpayers’ money.

Integrity of the Senate
The series of scandals that stain the reputation of our government has also challenged the Senate of the Philippines as an institution. The recent attempts to amend the Constitution, for instance, have compelled our Senators, including Senator Aquino, to firmly assert their defiant stand on this issue.

Energy Sector
Senator Aquino has been vigilant in the hearings regarding the sale of TRANSCO and PNOC-EDC. Much of his time and energy was spent on the EPIRA and TRANSCO amendments, questioning the sale of revenue-generating assets prior to the privatization of key government corporations. Senator Aquino sought clarification as to whether the sales of these assets were part of a long-term energy development plan or not to ensure that the long-term impact of losing these assets have been considered prior to their sales.

National Integrity
Senator Aquino voted “NO” to the controversial JPEPA because he believed that the Filipino people deserved a better negotiated and mutually beneficial treaty.

VI. Institution builder
Last but not least, Senator Aquino has dedicated his life in public service to strengthening our democratic institutions. Principal among these is his commitment to a genuine party system in the Philippines, as reflected in his membership in and strong commitment to the Liberal Party.

• Executive Vice President, December 18, 2007 to present
• Vice Chairman, March 17, 2006 to December 17, 2007
• Secretary General, 2004 to March 16, 2006
• Vice-Pres. for Luzon, 2002-2004
• Secretary General, 1999-2002
• Chairman of the Board, Central Luzon Congressional Caucus

VII. Accomplishments as three-term member of the House of
Representatives:

A. Positions held

Deputy Speaker, 13th Congress

B. Committee Membership

13th Congress
• Banks & Financial Intermediaries
• Energy
• Export Promotion
• Public Order & Safety

12th Congress
• Civil, Political & Human Rights
• Good Government
• Inter-Parliamentary Relations & Diplomacy
• Public Order & Security

11th Congress
• Agriculture
• Appropriations
• Banks & Financial Intermediaries
• Civil, Political & Human Rights (Vice-Chairman)
• Natural Resources
• Peoples’ Participation
• Public Order & Security
• Suffrage and Electoral Reforms
• Trade & Industry
• Transportation & Communications

C. Priority Bills
• House Bill No. 4251 – granting annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector

• House Bill No. 4397 – strengthening the regulatory power of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to effectively enforce consumer laws

• House Bill No. 4252 – increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers

• House Bill No. 3616 – extending the reglementary period for the educational qualification for PNP members

• House Bill No. 1842 – providing for the codification of criminal laws

D. Resolutions
• House Resolution No. 65 – inquiry in aid of legislation into the policies and processes of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in granting rate increases to electric utilities

• House Resolution No. 788 – creating a select Congressional
Oversight Committee on intelligence funds to check and study the use of intelligence funds by government agencies to ensure that funds allocated therefore are utilized for the purpose they are intended

E. Other legislation
a. Introduced an amendment in the General Appropriations Act requiring public bidding in the purchase of petroleum, oil and lubricant products for the Department of National Defense

THE LIVING ROOM RECOMMENDS!

2009-09-09T10:30:00.001+08:00

The city has become just a little bit more awesome with the coming of Manila Design Week. Starting this Saturday August 8, the good folks over at Team Manila will be hosting a conference that will not only highlight the achievements of Manila's design culture but hopefully spur the city into its rightful place as one of the design and thought capitals of the region. I am honored to be part of the Design Dialogue which will be held next week. I, along with a few others hope to find a road map for the city's future. We will try to create a Manila-festo, so to speak. Hope to see you guys there. Don't call me for tickets though. Contact folks at the website. Only seventy slots available.

MDW+Design Dialogue
Wednesday August 12, 2009
4 p.m. - 7 p.m., MyCinema, Greenbelt 3, Makati

Presented by: adobo magazine

MODERATOR:
ROBERT ALEJANDRO
Founder/Owner
RAA Design

SPEAKERS/PANELIST:

"AKO MISMO"
TEENY GONZALES
Executive Creative Director
DDB Philippines

"I AM NINOY"
NANDY VILLAR
Managing Director
McCann Worldgroup Philippines

"DESIGN IN ADVERTISING"
MELVIN MANGADA
Executive Creative Director/Partner
TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno

"BRANDING A COUNTRY"
DAVID GUERRERO
Chairman & Chief Creative Officer
BBDO Guerrero

"MANILA'S VISUAL CULTURE"
JOWEE ALVIAR
Team Manila

"MY POCKET MANILA"
CARLOS CELDRAN (panelist)
Artist/Blog Owner
WalkThisWay

NEAL OSHIMA (images of the Philippines)
Photographer

MDW and the Design Dialogue in a nutshell:
Design Dialogue: an intimate discussion between communicators on the subject of national identity, visual and otherwise. Design Dialogue is part of the week-long roster events ----exhibits, conferences, competitions and concerts--- for the first annual edition of Manila Design Week: the biggest graphic design festival the Philippines has ever seen.

In brief and in their own words: “We may be just designers, but we are the kind that come with a message. MDW uses graphic design as a vehicle to convey solid messages, and make them even more powerful. National identity, social responsibility, political activism… these concepts ring stronger when they are formulated in a compelling manner. MDW is not just about galvanizing the local design industry. It’s about moving people to action using the language we know best: good design.”

In keeping with this mission, Design Dialogue shall invite 70 of the country’s biggest movers, responsible for the best and most effective work in the media today.All of them necessary to achieve our objectives for Design Dialogue, and put them into practice in real, patent ways.

To showcase the best creative initiatives for social responsibility.

Made in the Philippines.

To figure out how we should brand and market ourselves internationally.

With relevance.

To create a manifesto aimed at forging our new “communication image.”

For the future.

Manila Design Week happens from 8 to 15, 2009, www.maniladesignweek.com.

Thanks houseblend.inksurge.com for the photo

DESIGN OF THE TIMES!

2009-08-08T10:28:00.000+08:00

MANILA DESIGN WEEK STARTS IN TWO HOURS...

SSHHH! CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2009-07-19T15:56:00.001+08:00

HELP! HELP! HELP!

2009-07-17T16:53:00.003+08:00

CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND...
Grrr. I'm experiencing a major moral and scheduling crisis. I have two events that have somehow overlapped on the same day and I have to make a choice: Do I host the NAIA3 anniversary celebrations of Cebu Pacific, meet the President, and get paid in free international and local airline tickets or should I attend the Reproductive Health Alternative SONA (State of The Nanay) Rally at Bahay ng Alumni at UP Diliman on Wednesday. For free. Grrr. I am only human. I like airline tickets and I like promoting the use of condoms too. Help me decide.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2009-07-17T15:52:00.001+08:00

CHECK OUT COOL WE'RE BECOMING...
It's not as over the top as ART BASEL or the VENICE BIENNIALE, but Manila has gotten way cooler by holding it's first international new media ART festival. It will be a week long affair that will showcase emerging trends in new media from top European and Asian artists. Check out programs like Eye2Ear that will feature cutting-edge music and moving images and performances by Iron Egg, Tad Ermitaño, Rubber Inc., Caliph8, Innovative Noise Collective, Arvie Bartolome, Icconnu ictu, Tengal, Elemento, Etniktronica, Nyangbinghi, Mannet Villariba, Trojan Whores, Eggboy among others. Also discussions on interactive design, networked culture, open source software movements, interactivity, data visualization, bio-technology, DIY electronics, open-source hardware, computer/electronic music, and sound and video art lead by Peter Tomas Dobrilla, Christiaan Cruz, Jerneja Rebernak, Emma Oto, Aether9, EXIST and Diego Maranan as part of the 5-day festival in cooperation with MMC KIBLA and the Asia-Europe Foundation as a follow up project to the ASia-Europe Art Camp New Media Series.

It all starts off with a party on July 21, 2009, 6PM at Gweilos, Makati. I'm going to be there. Check out the schedule and details here: ASEUM

The Living Room is sponsoring accomodations for ASEUM participating artists Angelo Vermeulen of Biomodd (top) and Peter Tomaz-Dobrila of KIBLA Slovenia (bottom).

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2009-07-05T15:47:00.003+08:00

BIOMODD UPDATES...

2009-06-29T17:55:00.001+08:00

BIOMODD ON MY MIND...

It's been really crazy busy around The Living Room lately. Eliza and Megan from The Galleon Trade show are back in Manila, Donna Miranda is doing a performance This FRIDAY July 3 in the bathtub of their room, and Angelo Vermeulen just returned from Belgium to continue The Biomodd Project to completion. Check out this video of Biomodd members explaining what the project is all about. The basic framework has been done as well. Can't wait to see what how it looks like once the plants grow, the gaming stations are built, and the detailing of the frame done. Check out the Biomodd site and some photos of the work in progress here.

Stay posted re: new fundraising projects for Biomodd in July.

THANKS A MILLION, FOLKS...

2009-06-24T16:01:00.003+08:00

Remember when I joined that contest for weight loss sponsored by Gold's Gym and Rogin-E? Remember that I won? Well, if you didn't, no big deal. At least someone out there did. A hundred years later, I recieve a phone call to come over and finally collect my prize: a year's membership to Gold's Gym worth Php60,000.00 and of course, a bottle of Rogin-E.

Aw, thanks guys.

And it's totally excellent timing, I don't have a gym membership at the moment. And neither do I have any Rogin-E.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2009-06-23T13:53:00.001+08:00

OF COURSE NOT, THIS IS A BATHTUB
duration: 30 minutes
Dance DONNA MIRANDA / Live Sound POW MARTINEZ

July 3, 9:30pm | The Living Room

Complete with vows of unending love till death do us part the dance ensues. Long after ‘high’ has settled into the dust another attempt yet awaits. And follow we do – the trail of pleasure luring us back into the vicious cycle of trial and errors albeit some rage resting underneath broken tiles, misty bathroom mirrors and confessional toilet seats. The persistent persists. Never say die for tomorrow we drink!

By way of Albert Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus, Donna Miranda and The Lovegangsters probe the familiar in detournement with the Manila premiere of Of Course Not, This is a Bathtub. After a rather bumpy start of its awaited bathtub tour of the city, we take the comfort and betraying privacy of an apartment bathroom in the beating heart of former Manila bohemia. Feeding the delightful voyeur, tracing the intimate glances in between breaths, the dance shall take place within the confines of an ordinary living space and breadth of our imaginations with audience and happening bleeding as one. In this conspired activity, the performance brings each one of us back into the awkward melodrama of the spectacle embedded in our everyday. As we confront the inescapable reality of our media mediated lives we bravely attempt to embrace the necessary evil of TV entertainment

Of Course Not, This is a Bathtub delves into the constructive elements of melodrama when tragedy meets its comic relief. This solo dance piece fishes into the discourse of the absurd similarly touching upon the tenuous relationship of the puppet and puppet-master asking the ever pressing question of our time ‘who is moved by whom’ and ‘who is watched by whom.’ Echoing Sisyphus’ endless tormenting journey of pushing a rock over a hill, completing the task only to start all over again. And if you need to ask if this is yet another cliché self-referential performance, the answer naturally is yes and no. A woman sits in front of an empty bathtub silent with delirium resignation gradually consumes her body. In this state of submission what else is she waiting for?

Of Course Not, This is a Bathtub is presented by The Lovegangsters in cooperation with WIFI Body 4: Independent Contemporary Dance Festival with the support of The Living Room.

The Living Room is located at Unit 24, North Syquia, 1991 MH del Pilar, Malate
For inquiries call 7941628 or 09266635606
Email: thelovegangsters@gmail.com
You may also visit: http://thelovegangsters.blogspot.com

TORONTO CALLING 5...

2009-05-19T23:45:00.000+08:00

ART AND ARCHITECTURE AGO-GO...
This is Carlos Celdran reporting from Frank Gehry's spanking new Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Brave awe inspiring architecture. Still kinda unfinished but neverthless, amazing to behold.

Did you know he was Canadian? I didn't. I just thought he was brilliant.

TORONTO CALLING 4 AND TALKS BACK...

2009-05-17T23:44:00.000+08:00

And then it came to pass that I visited a cafe in the neighborhood called the Hotbox Cafe to have a glass of apple juice. I could describe the place to you in detail but I think the name says it all. It was a very cool place to say the least. Full of friendly hippy types and with a very lax smoking rule.

After visiting I took yet another walk around Toronto and noticed that the city not only had really interesting art to look at but brilliant words to say.

Way Cool, man. Way cool...

And after a brief walk through Trinity Bellwoods park to watch the dogs play, I headed back to um.. where was I again?

Oh yeah. I'm hungry. La la la la la...

TORONTO CALLING 3...

2009-05-15T23:43:00.000+08:00

Caroline and I decided to take a walk to work yesterday. And aside from my aforementioned white elephant down the street, I realized that there was a hell of a lot of public art in Toronto to be seen. Some of it intentional, some of it not. I mean, my friend Daphne said that there was great art to see in TO, but I didn't realize how much.

And it seems that the elephant wasn't the only plaster animal on the block either.

And the art I saw wasn't only installed by institutions and government entities, I noticed that even private citizens were sharing their aesthetics with the world.

Outside a park near Yarmouth is a sculpture installed by a man who lived across the street from it. It's a "street lamp" I believe. Cute.

Some of the murals I saw on my way to The Kapisanan office.

A Philippine Princess Chair. I haven't seen one of these in years.

A cat on top of the world. There were lots of sculptures like this near the Chinatown area.

Wow.

I love any city that has a tram. I have yet to ride it and fulfill my streetcar desire though. The weather has just been too nice not to walk.

And finally, the Kapisanan Philippine Center at the end of Augusta Street in the Kensington Market area, a totally multi culti area of town filled with Latinos (my other peeps, whee), Koreans, Vietnamese, Thais, Portuguese, and what not. A perfect location for the cultural hybrid that is the Filipino. I even saw a Hungarian Thai restaurant called "Hungary Thai". Pad Thai and Schnitzel anyone? No seriously, I'm not kidding.

The lounge area, meeting table, and hall where I shall be working on props and doing rehearsals.

The Kapisanan board hard at work. I have to say that I am quite impressed by everyone that I have met here and am amazed by the Filipino-Canadian community spirit. The Kapisanan folk all seem to be competent, talented, and capable of multi-tasking and thinking out of the box. I mean, I am sure that there are some among them that could be an exception to the rule, but on the get go, they are all undeniably professional and have an exceptional work ethic. This is an org that is going to go far.

Next: I visit Hotbox Cafe...

TORONTO CALLING 2...

2009-05-13T23:42:00.000+08:00

First of all, thanks a million to Caroline Mangosing/Romeo Candido and all the hardworking peeps of Kilusan Philippine Center for making this trip possible. And second of all, allow me to show you where I will be sleeping and working in for the next few weeks. Above: the view from my bedroom window on Yarmouth Street.

My desk and computer.

My bed. Sigh. I hate sleeping alone. It makes me nervous.

Dandelions in the front lawn. It seems spring has sprung in Toronto. It's not as cold as I expected. Although today is a pretty wet and gross day. Which is why I decided to stay in and blog.

A better view of the house. We stay upstairs.

The smoking section.

The street where I live.

And of course, the white elephant down the street. Wala lang.

TORONTO CALLING...

2009-05-11T23:41:00.000+08:00

May 11, 2009. 10:00am. All the props are packed, ticket printed out, and I'm ready to go.

Bogart in the car with me on the way to airport. He kinda knew I was going away. The look on his face in the rear window as the car drove away from the airport curb was almost enough to make me stay. Almost.

The plane that is going to took me there. It's amazing how many people commented about moving to Canada. When I chatted with the clerk behind the counter or with my seatmate, the Surigao lady married to an oil rig engineer in Alberta, they all assumed that I was migrating. I'm pretty sure most folks on my flight were on a one way ticket. Let me reiterate, I have no desire to give up on being Filipino. I really like our new maroon colored passports now.

Needless to say, PAL has great people and service but WOW - their amenities super suck. I used to love PAL food but their afritada was inedible at best. And the flight kitchen forgot to pack salt and pepper ON ANY OF THE TRAYS. Not a single seasoning on board. And my toothbrush fell apart after six strokes. What the hell, Lucio? PAL is like a faded beauty queen who just decided to let go. It really kinda feels like the airline is giving up in many ways. They even phased out First Class.

May 11, 2009, 10:00am - Same day on the other side of the International Date Line. Nice airport. You can see they are really giving it some spit and shine in time for the Winter Olympics 2010. After a cup of coffee and a few hours, I boarded AC 0026 for Toronto.

The flight entertainment system was down. But it was cool with me. They instead gave away free drinks to make up for it. Perfect for watching the LED lights of the cabin change color. Groovy, dude. Air Canada. The trippy airline.

May 11, 2009, 10:00pm - After more than 28 hours of travel. I arrive in Toronto. Nice. Let's see how this goes.

WORK! WORK! WORK!

2009-04-16T00:36:00.000+08:00

LIVE THE ISLAND LIFE!

So, here's the Philippines answer to the best job in the world (assuming HIGH pay is not a factor).

The folks over at CANVAS/Looking for Juan are seeking a willing soul who can help document the building of the Philippines' Pacific Rim Friendship Park in the gorgeous island of Palawan. This project, best described as "Survivor-Meets-Habitat-for-Humanity", hopes to bring together architecture/art students from around the world who, together with counterpart Filipino students, will design and build a Friendship Park under the artistic supervision of leading artists, architects and urban planners - in only 30 days. Puerto Princesa City is providing the land. You can view the spectacular site they are allocating here:

Students from the US, Russia, Mexico, Japan, China and Korea will start arriving on May 2 and 3. We'll give them a tour of Manila on May 4. Then on May 5, they all fly off to Palawan to build the park. If all goes well, we will launch the park on May 30.

So... if YOU are that someone who can go with the group for the entire period from may 2-31 to take photos (or better, photos and videos), document, and blog at least once every day in May, then hit them up. You will also of course be expected to help with the building of the design - but your main responsibility is the documentation, photography/videography and blogging. You can interview the participants, talk about anything interesting during the whole process. Lots of room for creativity, meeting new people, and learning about new cultures.

Ah, and of course, the perks: CANVAS will cover your plane fare from Manila to Puerto Princesa and back, hotel stay, board and lodging for the entire month, and a MINIMAL stipend (at least P10,000.00, maybe a bit more if additional funds can be secured). What is practically guaranteed is that you will make new and lasting friendships (maybe more - who knows?), and definitely have a unique entry in your CV once this is over.

If you know anyone who might be interested in this adventure of a lifetime, please have them email Gigo Alampay ASAP at gigo@canvas.ph.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2009-04-15T22:19:00.000+08:00

Yo.Remember the project called BIOMODD?
Well, their fundraiser is tomorrow night.
The Living Room artist-in-residence Angelo Vermeulen will be DJ-ing.
So come on down, support an artist, buy a drink,

buy a BIOMODD T-shirt and watch some art being made on the spot.

April 17, Friday, 10pm,

at M Cafe Greenbelt 4, Makati (across Ayala Museum).

Featuring:

Ms. Badkiss

DJ Drumlander

Tengal Drilon

Adrian Cuenca

Pilipinas Street Plan

And apparently, I'll be hosting the show.

CONGRATULATIONS!

2009-04-05T17:13:00.006+08:00

FILIPINO ART FINGERS THE PULSE...

How cool. Check out this Newsweek link. Writer Alexandra Seno talks about bargains in the U.S. art market during these times of recession. I was super stoked to read about my friend, the photographer Steve Tirona's Imelda Collection Series making a cameo in the closing paragraph. Congrats to you and to Isa Lorenzo of Silverlens Gallery for bringing Filipino art to Pulse New York art fair. Thank you so much upsidedownview for the photo of the piece...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

2009-03-24T09:28:00.000+08:00

Have you met Biomodd?

Cool eh?

It's a self-sustaining ecosystem, a video game, and a collaborative work of art. Biomodd is the brainchild of Angelo Vermeulen and is currently being produced by Diego Maranan in cooperation with University of the Philippines Open University. Biomodd Los Banos (LBA2) is the second one to be built in the world, the first being constructed at the Ohio University College of Fine Arts (video above). Currently under construction at the UPOU campus in Los Banos, Biomodd plans to be shown at the National Museum of the Filipino People in September/October of 2009. And since it's a collaborative effort, the more the merrier of course. They need all sorts of people to source out all sorts of donated computer parts and geek stuff. So learn more about them here and get involved in the creation of this crazy contraption that crossses the line between art and science. www.biomodd.net.

And good art does not come cheap. So make sure to attend the BIOMODD SUMMER PARTY Fundraiser this April 17, 10PM at Cafe M in front of Ayala Museum in Makati. You can buy uber cool Biomodd shirts by Playground, swig down signature drinks sponsored by VuQo Vodka and Haliya Fruit Wines, as Angelo himself deejays.

Or hey, just send them cash and other donations through this page.

Angelo Vermeulen is a resident at The Living Room Malate. Biomodd was a nominee for the Ars Electronica Hybrid Art Prix in 2008. Read more about Angelo on his site here.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

2009-03-21T17:29:00.000+08:00

MANILA, MEET TORONTO, TORONTO, MEET MANILA.
After years of planning, Kapisanan Philippine Art Center and The Living Room/Walk This Way Productions proudly present Kilusan, an art exchange program that hopes to bring the Filipino Canadian art community closer to home.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS

So ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce three artists from the academy: Tiffany Naval (above), Jen Maramba (middle) and Ilona Fiddy (below Jen). My name is Bosley - I mean, Charlie, I mean, Carlos - and along with photographer Alex Felipe (not pictured) and Jeff Garcia (bottom), we will bring you "Toronto Meet Manila, Manila Meet Toronto", an art exchange program that shall culminate in an exhibition at Rolly's Garage Art Space in Toronto this May 2009.

Learn more about them and their thoughts through their blogs here:

ILONA FIDDY

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

2007-08-08T15:39:00.000+08:00

The Galleon Trade Artists etc...
Left to Right: Juan Caguicla*, Mike Arcega, Reanne Estrada(front), Ria Limjap*(back), Claire Light (front), Jennifer Wofford (back), Megan Wilson, Maria Taniguchi*(foreground), Eliza Barrios(front), Carlos Celdran*(back), Romeo Candido*, Christine Wong Yap, Gina Osterloh, Stephanie Syjuco, Norberto Roldan*, Rick Griffiths*, Dennis Lagdameo*, Santo Niño*(far right)

*non-Galleonista

GALLEON HO!
Please allow me to introduce you to the California based artists and writers (and their Filipino friends) who graced our fair city with their presence. They all made their way here to the Philippines for a group show/artist talk/exchange called "Galleon Trade", organized by the intrepid Jenifer Wofford. Currently on exhibit at Green Papaya Art Projects and Mag:Net Katipunan and High Street, these artists truly raised the bar when it came to artistic collaborations. Not only were they talented, eloquent, and organized, but amazingly, they were all charming as well. They truly tickled Manila pink. It was a privilege hosting them at The Living Room and I certainly hope that this isn't the last time we'll see them around these parts. Pseudo Vanity Fair photograph above done by Juan Caguicla.

For the lowdown on the how everything went, log onto the following sites and blogs:
www.wofflehouse.com
www.galleontrade.org
R+D blog
Claire Light blog
Stephanie Syjuco Photos here
and here
Megan Wilson

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2007-08-06T16:42:00.000+08:00

KAMUROS
Productions
Presents

“An Evening of Interpretive
Dancing and Drumming”

Starring
Horhe

9:00 pm - midnight
25th August 2007, Saturday
(date has been moved from the 11th)

The Living Room
Unit 24, North Syquia Apt., 1991 MH del Pilar, Malate

RSVP:
5631896
0917 8861080

www.jazzrice.blogspot.com
Entrance is free but donations are more than welcome.

AND

TIE AND TIE AGAIN...

I need not lament that Manila's scene lacks edge. Only one year after the lovely Domina Jane showed us how to tie things up at the Living Room, Sensei Shinobi73 will show us how to tie things down over at Robinson's Apartelle.

WHAT: Introduction to Shibari, A Lecture and Demonstration
WHEN: 25th day of August 2007, Session starts promptly at 7:00 pm
WHERE: Robinson’s Apartelle along EDSA
FEE: P600.00 per person

The event will be limited to only thirty (30) slots.
Walk-ins not permitted.
Confirmations and prior payments absolutely necessary.
Email tetsubo73 @ yahoo.com for payment details.
And only email tetsubo73, my site does not take reservations.

BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

2007-07-31T10:10:00.000+08:00

UP DHARMA AND AWAY!
Yay. Our underground scene is fast going above ground. A million congratulations to Up Dharma Down for their feature in Time Magazine Asia. But yeah, I knew they were gonna be big. I loved their single, "Maybe" and the video of the crazed woman running around National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin's classy (and now shuttered) Hyatt Regency and their "Flicker" video from the movie, "Ang Pamana" was shot at my art space, "The Living Room" last year. It's great to see them finally being given notice in the region. Really, Up Dharma is just a drop in the bucket that is Manila's vibrant music scene. We really are more than just hotel lobby cover showbands.

Here are shots of Up Dharma Down with director Romeo Candido at the "Flicker" shoot (above). Read the full article here, watch the full video of "Maybe" here, and "Flicker" here.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2007-07-24T16:57:00.000+08:00

GALLEON TRADE EXHIBITION

a three part multi-venue exhibibition by artists
by Filipinos, Americans, and Mexicans.

Galleon Trade Exhibitions (Part 1)
Opening: Tuesday, 24 July 7pm
The Wall at Mag:net Café High Street
Work by artists Rick Godinez and Enrique Chagoya
(All visiting Galleon Trade participants will be in attendance except for Gina Osterloh.)
Opening to be followed by Performances byS.A.B.A.W.
(Curated by Tengal) Hilera, Severo,
The Brockas and Pinikpikan

Galleon Trade Exhibitions (Part 2)
Opening: Thursday, 26 July 7 pm
Green Papaya Art Projects
Work by artists Michael Arcega, Reanne Estrada, Stephanie Syjuco,
Megan Wilson, and Christine Wong Yap.
(All visiting Galleon Trade participants will be in attendance.)

Galleon Trade Exhibitions (Part 3)
Opening: Saturday, 28 July 7 pm
Mag:net Gallery Katipunan
Work by artists Jaime Cortez, Julio Morales, Gina Osterloh, Johanna
Poethig at Mag:net Gallery and Eliza Barrios at the CR Gallery
.(All visiting Galleon Trade participants
will be in attendance except for Jaime Cortez)
Artist Talk/Dialogue will precede opening at 4 pm at Mag:net Café. All
visiting Galleon Trade participants will be in attendance.

Galleon Trade Salon
6:00PM
The Living Room
1991 MH del Pilar, Malate Manila
RSVP Necessary. Jenifer Wofford 0915 6431076

www.galleontrade.org

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

2007-06-27T17:24:00.000+08:00

A million thanks and a fuzzy hug to British collaborative artists Jackson Webb from all of us here at The Living Room for mentioning us in their press release. These two artists, Charlotte Webb (yes, we know she has the same name as the book about the spider and the pig) and Mark Jackson co-partner their works under one name. They graduated only last year from Chelsea College of Art and are now exhibiting at Standpoint Gallery in London (along with Filipino artist, Yason Banal). These two will always have a special spot here at The Living Room. Their show, "Soft Lighting", was our first exhibition ever.

Venue:
Standpoint Gallery
45 Coronet Street, London N1 6HD
Exhibition open:
6 July - 4 August
Private View:
Thursday 5 July, 6-9pm
Gallery Open:
Wednesday – Saturday, 12-6pm
Tube:
Old Street, Exit 2 (Northern Line – Bank Branch)
Buses:
55, 67, 149, 242, 243

standpointgallery@btconnect.com 020 7739 4921
www.standpointlondon.co.uk

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

2007-06-27T13:04:00.001+08:00

As always, better late than never. Kindly allow me to introduce you to the "artists-in-residence" of The Living Room for the months of May and June 2007. For the month of May, we had Mr. Jean Claude Girard (above), Swiss architect and partner of past Living Room resident, Marlyne Sahakian. He was in town for just three weeks after spending time in Australia researching the Sydney Opera House. And despite his short stint, he managed to hold a lecture (below) about the fascinating history of this Australian icon last May 11, 2007. Some of the topics discussed: The life of it's architect Jorn Utzon, Utzon's amazing designs for the Opera, Utzon resigning before the completion of the structure, and the analogies between the SOP and our very own CCP. This is Jean Claude's second trip to Manila and we certainly hope it won't be his last.

And for the month of June, allow me to introduce Miss Sally Gutierrez and Miss Yong Soon Min. Both are in town for the Trauma Interrupted exhibition at the Main Gallery of The Cultural Center of the Philippines (which I highly recommend that you all visit asap). Sally was in the 1999 Whitney Independent Study Program, graduated with a Masters in Media Studies from the New School back in 2000, and currently works in video. Yong Soon was also a graduate of the Whitney Independent Study Program and is currently chair of the Department of Studio Art at University of California Irvine. No artists' talks were held but a lovely party was held before Sally's departure (that's when these two photos were taken). Sally is now back in Madrid, Yong Soon is in South Korea for a short visit, and we miss them so.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2007-06-15T19:16:00.000+08:00

YOU'VE GOT THE POWER!

Fresh from the sparsely attended but so-much-fun-you-were-a-loser-not-to-be-there success of Playlist Manila night, Geek Chorus ushers in the schoolyear with yet another stupid event for smart people.

Geek chorus presents:

Powerpoint as Performance Art Night
Saturday, June 23, 2007, 9:00pm
The Living Room
Unit 24, North Syquia,
1991 MH Del Pilar, Malate.

There will be two main features for Powerpoint Night. The first will be the Performance Powerpoint division which will feature Eight Powerpoint Artists making a quick three minute presentation on any subject of their choice. Prizes will be awarded to the best presentation, the most original content, the worst use of transitions and clip art as well as other categories that we'll think up of on the spot.

The second category for Powepoint night is the Open Category. Teams of Three (3) people shall be assigned to present a Powerpoint Presentation that they have never seen before. Roles shall likewise be assigned at random to each team member (for example, CFO, HR Head, Boss, Wife, Motor Pool Division Chief, etc.). The most convincing and funniest presentation wins.

Note:You cannot compose in Keynote then export to Powerpoint. The use of Keynote will not be allowed. Let's keep this nice and amateurish, please. Slots are open for the Open Category and the Performance Powerpoint category. Email us at yarr@geekchorus.org

You can make reservations by texting/calling 0917 8861080. Entrance fees are on a donate-what-you-wish basis. BYOB (Bring your own Booze).

CARLOS RECOMMENDS...

2007-06-11T10:11:00.001+08:00

TRAUMA INTERRUPTED...

Trauma, Interrupted is a multi-pronged project composed of a series of workshops, an international exhibition and a series of artist talks aiming to explore the link between trauma, art and healing. Violence, racism, the cycle of poverty, community displacement, the stigma of leprosy, and even nightmares are only a few of the issues that will be addressed by artists from such countries as the United States, Korea, Japan, Spain, Ireland and of course, the Philippines.

And for all of you out there with a weak constitution when it comes to these things. No worries about the "heaviness" or "seriousness" of the topic. Some of the works are even humorous.

Log onto this website for their list of activities, exhibitions, and workshops. Opening cocktails are on June 14, 2007 at 2pm at the Main Gallery of the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Two of the artists, Miss Sally Gutierrez and Miss Yong Soon Min, are both staying at The Living Room and we are tickled pink to have them.

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

2007-06-03T13:11:00.000+08:00

Living La Vida Living Room
It's been busy lately at The Living Room. Not only did we have a talk on the history of the Sydney Opera House by May architect-in-residence, Jean Claude Girard, but we also had fabulous features in three Manila publications. First off was the inspired fashion shoot called "Who's Afraid of John Herrera", featuring a couture collection by the aforementioned designer (above). With stylings done by Norman Crisologo, hair by Paolo Lopez, make-up by Mitch Lim for Guerlain, and photographs by our neighbor, Juan Caguicla, the project was a definite labor of love. It took two days to wrap the entire west side of the apartment in brown craft paper and almost an entire week to remove it. Naturally, the results were stunning. Perhaps the most creative shoot I've seen in print this year.

Next up was a feature in Manifesto, one of the newest - and most promising - men's lifestyle magazines to be printed locally in a long while. The article, called, "Brazilian Wax Lyrical" was written by Vanni de Sequera, and featured Brazilian DJ - slash - model, Rose Fernandes (above). Shot in only one easy evening by Xander Angeles, Ms. Fernandes was styled by Millet Arzaga and had her hair and make up done by Janet de Rama and Xeng Zulueta respectively. And such a good sport that Rose. Whether it be cramming her frame into the kitchen sink or posing topless over the garage driveway, this classy lady did her job with grace and good humor. Manifesto May issue is still available on newsstands.

And last but definitely not the least was the Mega Magazine fashion shoot called "Luca". Shot by model - slash - photographer Sara Black with hair done by Nante Alingasa and make up by Cathy Cantada, this eight page spread was definitely my favorite. And not merely because it featured the clothes of Filipino designers Chris Diaz and Anthony Baughman, but because of the special cameo done by my dog, Bogart (above). Definitely a keeper in my books. May issues of Mega are still available on newsstands. It's the one with Alessandra de Rossi on the cover.

Once again, thanks guys for the letting the The Living Room be part of your creative process. It was definitely a privilege.

To book The Living Room for photo shoots, events or accomodations (our newly appointed room featured above). Call or text 0917 8861080 or email celdrantours@hotmail.com

MORE PARTY! MORE PARTY!

2007-02-19T12:52:00.000+08:00

The Living Room's first improvisational dance/interactive evening for the year happened last February 3, 2007 and I'm happy to report that all went well. The performance, called "Kamuros" (named after a fragrant rice from the Kalinga province), was conceptualized and performed by freestyle dancer "Jorge" (above), fresh from his studies in freestyle dance in Nice, France. Jorge getting into the spirit of things.
Jorge in full swing. Literally.
A view of the audience from onstage.

After the show, people hung out well past one in the morning. Guests munched on Jorge's signature recipes for coconut suman (sweet sticky rice) and fried mountain grains with shrimp and mango (Jorge and his partner Greg sell organic rice at the Salcedo Saturday Morning Market) while drinking the alcohol that they themselves towed to the space. If you haven't heard, the general rule now for all Living Room events is that it's BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle.) The best part of the evening of course was the post performance mingling. Here are a couple of shots. Nina Tesoro (above) of Kusina Salud makes a startling point while talking to Raymond Lee (producer of the award winning indie movie, "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros" as Natasja chows down next to them.

Percussionist Toni Bernardo chats away with photographer Wawi Navarozza, while dancer/professor Nerissa Guevarra nurses her beer. Other guests of the evening were the uber stylish Tootie Crisologo of Casa Amarilla, Benjie Garcia of Friendly's Pensionne and his pack of residents from the American Peace Corps, Marty and Lesley Lahm of the Asian Development Bank, Margaret Hurcules of the World Health Organization, art couple At Maculangan and Katya Guerrero, conceptual artist Yason Banal, and a smattering of French, Filipino, Spanish and American art types who were curious to see what this was all about. Forty eight people in all attended the affair. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Parting shot: some of the evening's shoes (above). Hope to see you all at the next event.

PARTY! PARTY! PARTY!

2007-01-05T13:09:00.000+08:00

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER...
The Living Room Annual Report

And so The Living Room has turned a year old!

It was around 395 days ago that a chandelier was hoisted up at number 24, North Syquia Apartments, Malate, and so far the going has been good. I am really quite surprised about how this hobby of running an exhibition/residence space for artists and other creative sorts has grown from being just an empty room with a single great lighting fixture into a functional space complete with a computer, kitchen appliances, internet/cable TV facilities, and beddings in such a short space of time. For this I am quite thankful and I really can't complain.

Having said that, allow me to happily report that in the last twelve months, the Living Room has hosted one dessert exposition (Yay, Lori!), one Sado-Masochism/Bondage forum by a dominatrix named Domina Jane, photo/fashion shoots by Dimsum and Mega Magazine, and an artist talk and exhibition by British collaborative couple, Jackson Webb. We also acted as residence to Fil-American performance artist Jennifer Wofford, Honolulu film Curator Christian Razukas, Barcelona natives, journalist Gabriel Diaz, photographer Miguel Trillo and conceptual artist Antoni Abad, plus the Armenian/American/Swiss curator Marlyne Sahakian whose traveling art exhibition opening I shall post about next.

Photos above: December 9 Anniversary Party, which is always simultaneous to the "by-invitation-only" North Syquia Christmas Block Party. So start coming to The Living Room and supporting its causes so that you might perhaps get one of these "rare" invitations next year. Thanks Cecile for the pictures of the party and Thanks Kusina Salud for the food.

More pictures of the Party on Katrina Lagman's blog: HERE

Next: The last exhibition of the year 2006 and Carlos Recommends!

TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN! TALK ME INTO IT...

2006-11-13T11:15:00.000+08:00

Yeah, I know. This is a late post. The Domina Jane Die Talk was three weeks ago, you don't have to tell me. It's (? - did I use the apostrophe right?) just that things have been pretty crazy lately and I haven't found any time to update this blog at all. What with all the tours and last minute errands that need to be done before I leave for my RISD college reunion at the end of the month. God save me from the pressure of meeting up with old faces and mentors from my past. I hope I don't end up pretending that I founded Google or invented Post-its like the girls in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion just to deal with the anxiety. One of my former classmates in the Illustration department created Family Guy, for crying out loud. Ten years later, I'm still just a half insane performance artist haunting the halls of inner city Manila earning an income that - although admittedly pays the cell phone bills, still renders me unable to buy seafront property or branded luxury goods.

But I digress.

Needless to say, Domina Jane Die was divine and the evening was a smashing success. It was also the best-attended non-food related event held at the space with around forty (40) people showing up at the door. (Yes, I know, I went past the published thirty person limit. So sue me.) While waiting, the fermented agave flowed freely (thanks to Philip of 1800 Tequila) while Japanese Bondage movies were projected on the walls (thanks to the equipment loaned by Geiser/Maclang). At around 9:30PM, the show was ready to get on the road. The mistress was ready for her audience.

And if you expect this post to be a sordid account of sexual deviancy in wild abandon, you have a lot more to learn from Domina Jane Die. If I had to choose words to describe the evening, these would be it: meditative, informative, enlightening, and professional. "Sexual" would really be last on the list - if on the list at all. That night, Ms. Jane Die discussed issues of power, subjugation, and personal fullfillment, and took us all on a ride through the road map of fetishes (ever heard of furverts, pony play and messy fun?), before getting down to some good ol' audience participation flogging/bondage (below). People were so taken in by the charms and philosophies of Domina Jane Die that one of the ad folks who attended (and there were quite a few ad folks in the audience - you know who you are...) even recommended that she expand/restructure her lecture into a "team building exercise" weekend for corporate employees. Now that's an idea if ever I heard one.
Read more about Domina Jane Die in upcoming issues Fudge and FHM Magazine.

PARTY! PARTY! PARTY!

2006-10-16T12:07:00.000+08:00

Yes, it's been years since I made a post on my blog, "Walk This Way". And even longer since I have updated The Living Room website. But as a firm believer of the adage, "Better late than Never", here are some shots from the opening night of the exhibition "All the Art I Can Fit In My Roller Skate Case", a show curated by our curator-in-residence, the lovely Ms. Marlyne Sahakian (below) last October 15, 2006.

The belle of the evening, preparing sushi and documents.

Marlyne (above), chatting up Manila fashion designer/icon/repatriate, Helena Guerrero of Azabache, while I shake my hand (some odd reason) while talking to The Living Room tech director Denis Lagdameo and performance artist, Judy Sibayan. Some other guests of the evening, photographer Ben Razon of the OarHouse website (who took these pictures, thanks man), Fil-Canadian director Romeo Candido, that cute little child posted below, and a smattering of students, Malate neighbors, and other creative types.

Poetry on the windowpanes.

Pictures on the windows.
The Roller Skate Case.
All in all, it was a good evening. The booze was all consumed, the sushi was wiped out, and lots of interesting conversations occured until the party broke up at about midnight. It was a great way to start the Holiday season. We hope to see you all again at our next event.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

2006-08-31T09:02:00.000+08:00

Allow me to introduce you to the latest guest/resident curator of The Living Room for September and October, Miss Marlyne Sahakian. Marlyne is pretty much a one-woman curator, technical director, promotions manager, and exhibition space packed into the frame of a world-travelling five foot three inch Armenian-American woman in her late twenties. She comes to Manila with a full agenda and a suitcase full of art. Literally. Marlyne will be working for the next two months as an environmental consultant for SPM International in Smokey Mountain Tondo while putting up a travelling exhibition and art salons at The Living Room. Her current project is called:

All the Art I Can Fit In My Roller-Skate Case,
Manila, Philippines, Sept/Oct 2006
A one night exhibition and art talk at the Living Room
with curator Marlyne Sahakian

Opening cocktails and talk:
SEPTEMBER 15, 2006
Friday
6:00PM
The Living Room
Unit 24, North Syquia, 1991 MH del Pilar, Malate

Featuring works by Bruce Allan (UK), Achot Achot (Armenia), Thomas Bonny (Switzerland), Nathalie Brevet et Hughes Rochette (France), Claudia Camposs (France), Valentin Carron (Switzerland), Veronique Collignon (France), Valerie Dantas Mota (Brazil), Hugo Fortes (Brazil), La Fratrie (France), Archi Galentz (Armenia/Germany), Carl June (Switzerland), Adrien Missika (Switzerland), Ines Raphaelian (Brazil), Behrang Samadzadegan (Iran) and Vazo (Armenia).

She also looking for Filipino artists who would like their art to travel back to Geneva with her. Contact her at: marlynemail@mac.com for any inquiries.
More information about this project and her past curatorships are on this site:

www.conchaconcha.blogspot.com

TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN!

2006-08-19T17:05:00.000+08:00

A few months back, I received a very interesting text from a British man. He asked me where my tour schedules were listed, which restaurants in Manila I would recommend, and if I knew any place in Manila where he could find an S and M club. Yes, you read right. S and M club. Truth be told, I was stumped. I believed that if there was any one type of club that didn't exist here, it was that. We have gay clubs, lesbian clubs, ballroom dancing clubs, hiphop clubs, karaoke clubs, - but strangely enough - NO S and M clubs. Naturally, I looked upon this as a challenge and texted around only to realize that here was pretty much NO aboveground S and M scene here at all. I felt truly embarassed as a Manileno. This was only proof that Manila was not as well rounded a metropolis as I thought. I mean, any world class megalopolis worth it's weight in salt should have an S and M scene, no matter how small. Something definitely had to be done.

Then, of course, the fates provided.

Enter...

Domina Jane of San Francisco and Los Angeles
Mistress of fetish/BDSM/Disciplinary Arts.
Guest lecturer at The Living Room for September
Unit 24, North Syquia, 1991 MH del Pilar.
September 1, 2006
9:00pm to 11:00pm

A former dominatrix by profession, Ms. Domina Jane has agreed to pander to all our inadequate souls and hold an introduction/workshop on Fetish/Bondage/BDSM to educate us on the intricacies of this way of life. The night will include but not be limited to: a Fetish Frame slideshow; Shibari - The Art of Rope Bondage - an explanation/demonstration of D/S: Dominance and Submission and S/M: Sadomasochism; plus a lecture on Safety on the Edge: Safety Tips for Kinky Play. Volunteers necessary.

Please bring open minds and an attitude of curiosity and willingness to learn something new. Malicious behaviour disallowed. One wrong move and the mistress will seventy six (evict) you from the apartment. No questions asked. All sign ups must be above the age of 21 (IDs checked at the door), and a nominal donation of Php450.00 will be collected as a gift for the mistress and to pay for drinks. However, the refreshments will only be provided if you're good. Only 30 slots available. Dress in fetish wear if you wish. I won't. Leather doesn't look good on me.

Email your reservations to: celdrantours@hotmail.com or text: 0926 2597506.

GOODBYE AND THANK YOU!

2006-07-31T15:17:00.000+08:00

It's been a busy month over at The Living Room. Although no artist talks/exhibitions were held, the place was still abuzz with guests who share my objective of changing the way we look at the misunderstood City of Manila. First to check in at the end of June were Barcelona residents, Gabriel Diaz (above) and Miguel Trillo (below). Gabriel Diaz is an affable journalist of Uruguayan descent whose last assignment was in Sierra Leone. Miguel Trillo, the more serious one of the duo, is a photographer obsessed with documenting the urban avant-garde and the characters that dwell within. They were both sent over by Casa Asia to create a visitor's guide to Manila's alternative scene. They visited places as diverse as Imelda Marcos' Shoe Museum in Marikina, the I Love You Store, Cubao X, Club Mwah, and seedy little strip joints below the LRT Monumento station in Caloocan. We anxiously await it's publication. Some of Miguel's portrait work are posted below; some more are posted over here.

And bringing up the end of the month was Christian Razukas, the bespectacled fellow featured below. As the film programmer of the Louis Vuitton Honolulu International Film Festival, he flew into town for a few days just to check out the goodies on display over at Cinemalaya Film Festival held the CCP. And apparently, he was very pleased. A very charming fellow, he claims to have fallen in love with the city and hopes to be back in town again to check out other film festivals. Check out more about the scene surrounding the HIFF by clicking onto their blog here.

We hope this isn't the last time we see these guys over here in the town everyone loves to hate. The Living Room wishes you three a fond farewell for now and "Mabuhay!"

Oh. And thanks a million Doug for the fantastic post. Wish my tummy didn't look so big though...

FILIPINO AMERICA TALKS!

2006-07-14T11:51:00.000+08:00

TALK TO ME BABY!

And so it came to pass that the third Artist's Talk at The Living Room came to be. And if I must say so myself, it was perhaps the most successful one so far. The artist of the evening was the current artist-in-residence, Miss Jenifer Wofford, a Fil-Am multi-media artist from Oakland, California, US of A (pictured above chatting with yours truly.)

It was one of the best attended talks, too. The crowd topped off at - ooh, say, around twenty-three. Naturally, that number includes our dear helper, Susan (pictured above, peeking behind Jenifer who is beside my wife Tesa (L), the TLR technical director Denis Lagdameo (R)).

Fellow bloggers, Micketymoc (above on R) and his better half, Minette, as well as Watergirl and her friend, Ashani arrived bright and early. Meanwhile, bringing up the rear at the end of the talk were Susanne Lenz, Tilman Baumgartel, upstairs neighbors Butch, and Coco and Baby of Lumiere. Surreal moment of the evening: PR maven Junjun Poblador swanning in with recently outed Pinoy Brother survivor, Rustom Padilla. I know, wha...why is he here? I really don't know. Just wished I took a picture, though. It isn't very often when post-modern art discourse and Philippine showbiz meet and match.

So after a rather OK sunset on Manila Bay (there have been better ones), we all had a few beers and watched slides of her early sculptures (above). Afterwards, there was a screening of her video works, Cucaracha Motel, Flipflop on a stick, and Chicksilog. Some of the topics discussed that evening were: sculpture vis-a-vis two-dimensional work, the state of art education in the California public school system, feminism, the Filipino diaspora, nurses, her mother, my mother, and someone else's mother, and of course, the joys of her collaborative work with fellow Fil-Ams Eliza Barrios and Reanne Estrada in the renegade performance art trio, Mail Order Brides. It was a good talk, deep but not too pretentious; provocative but non-confrontational.

So after hoo-ing and hah-ing and way too much posing for photos, things finally wrapped up at around ten pm. Some headed off to the Preview Rock Glam party at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, while most of us just retired upstairs for some impromptu pasta.

All in all, I can say art is alive and well in downtown Manila. Hope to see more of you out here at the next artist talk.

DAY WEAR AT THE LIVING ROOM!

2006-07-05T18:46:00.000+08:00

I received a phone call from TV host/fabulous actor, Ricci Chan (familiar to many theatre buffs out there as Angel in the Manila production of the musical, "RENT" and as Didi in some performances of " Zsazsa Zaturnah Ze Musical". He needed a place in Malate to do a shoot called, "A Day In Malate". Hence a fashion statement was made at The Living Room. Well, kinda and barely. It was all for underwear. The photos appear in the June Issue of The HongKong gay newsletter, Dimsum. More photos below. Not for homophobes or for the ultra conservative, mind you.

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

2006-07-03T15:06:00.000+08:00

The Living Room would like to shout out "Congratulations!" to former artist-in-residence, Antoni Abad (above, in pink shirt), for being one of the winners of the Prix Ars Electronica 2006, an international competition which seeks out the best in Cyberarts. His winning entry in the field of digital communities, was www.zexe.net/barcelona - an interactive site in which 40 people with disabilities used mobile phones to photograph their daily lives on the streets of Barcelona. With the help of Multi-Media Messaging, they created a map of every obstacle they came across. Check it out here.

Mabuhay ka, amigo. We hope to see you in Manila again soon.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

2006-06-06T15:27:00.000+08:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...
Meet the lovely Ms. Jennifer Wofford, The Living Room's artist-in-residence for the month of June 2006. Ms. Wofford, a Filipino-American artist based in Oakland, California. She is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and is currently finishing her Masters in Fine Arts at the University of California, Berkeley. She primarily works in video and performance media and explores issues concerning globalization, perception, and identity. Her works can be seen as humorous, irreverent but always provocative. She has also been know to create lovely line drawings every now and then, drawings just like the one pictured below. It's Part of her "Nurse" series which will open at the Future Prospects art space in Marikina Shoe Expo. She is also part of the radical San Francisco based performance art trio, Mail Order Brides (MOB). This is her Nth time to the Philippines and looks forward to creating stronger ties between artists in the West Coast of the United States and Manila. Mabuhay ka, Miz Jenniper.

CALIFORNIA CALLING!
Join Ms. Jennifer Wofford and I for a salon style night of artspeak and sunset boulevard views. Ms. Wofford will screen her video work, "Motel Cucaracha" and and show some collaborative works done with Mail Order Brides before beginning the artist's talk. So come on over again to the Living Room next Saturday. The conversations will be artsy, the nuts will be salty, and the shots of Finlandia vodka will be free while supply lasts. There might even be some beer.

AN ARTIST CONVERSATION WITH MS. JENNIFER WOFFORD
June 24, 2006
6:30PM
The Living Room
Unit 24,
1991 MH del Pilar,
Malate.
Directions here.

FUTURE PROSPECTS
Shop 62-63, Marikina Shoe Expo
Cubao, Quezon City,
Tel. 4397838

BARZA TALKED!

2006-05-23T07:55:00.000+08:00

Better late than never, I always say. I know it's been over two months since I hosted an artist talk with The Living Room's artist-in-residence, Antoni Abad. Needless to say, all went the well. The sunset was beautiful - as usual. The beers were Dutch - though not as in it was imported from Amsterdam, but as in people brought their own. And the artist, like most Catalans, was polite, open and amiable (photo above of the artist, in pink shirt, shaking hands with guest).

So after guests snacked on peanuts and cheese, guests were given collaterals about Antoni's oeuvre to read, stickers to play with (above), and the website zexe.net to surf through (below), before Antoni and I sat down to have an hour long conversation about his creative processes and his experiences in Manila.

The topics we discussed ranged from international geopolitics, the emerging call center industry in the Philippines, GSM cell phone technology, the secret lives of call center agents, and naturally, the contemporary art scene in Manila.

Throughout the evening, nobody drank too much and puked, asked inappropriate questions about politics and/or religion, or stole anything from the bathrooms of the gallery. All in all, the event could be considered a successful, if not peaceful, event. The crowd broke up at around eight thirty in the evening to dine at separate locations. Some went to the Jumbo by Manila Bay, others retired to ever consistent artsy bar, Cafe 604 (Penguin) for beers and panini sandwiches.

I hope tomorrow's art talk with the current artist in residence, Jennifer Wofford, would go just as smoothly. Thanks a million, At Maculangan (above with camera) and Katya for all the help and the photos of the talk.

PS. Tomorrow is Manila Day. Please note that Roxas Boulevard will be closed from three in the afternoon until midnight. If driving, use Taft Avenue and Quirino or use public transportation if possible.

BARZA TALKS! AND WRITES!

2006-03-22T08:28:00.000+08:00

An open letter from the artist-in-residence:

Greetings,

My name is Antoni Abad and I'm a Catalan artist involved in the creation of cellphone community projects. Since 2004, I worked with groups such as taxi drivers in Mexico City, Gypsies in Spain, prostitutes in Madrid and disabled people in Barcelona. I have given them their own thematic multimedia channels on the internet using camera cellphones in order to get a glimpse into the lives of these otherwise marginalized societies.

At the moment, I'm in Manila preparing the "CallCenterForum", an internet based art project wherein call center agents are the focus. Like timezone expatriates, these people live in a world opposite of the city they live in. They sleep by day and work by night. Their jobs are also one of the most stressful in the world. They spend their working hours by a computer, obediently answering calls, and providing answers/solutions for people who live halfway around the globe.

www.zexe.net/MANILA is a website I have designed for this community to share their views, elations, frustrations and images via MMS. Through the different thematic channels of daily chores, fun times, work issues, and a text forum, this website hopes to offer a glimpse into the inner lives of this Philippine based nocturnal society.

So if you are a call center agent with a story to tell and a cameraphone, please visit the site, scroll down to JOIN NOW!, register your alias, and start sharing your life with us. And kindly forward this email to your call center friends who you think might be interested in contributing to the project as well.

The "CallCenterForum" project is funded by the Institut Ramon Llull and is part of the "Filipiniana Siglo XX" exhibition to be held in Madrid in may 2006. This exhibition is a co-production of Casa Asia and the Ministerio de Cultura de España (Cooperación Cultural).

Thanks very much and I hope to see you at the Living Room for the launch of the website on Saturday.

Antoni Abad

IT´S A PARTY FOR CALL BOYS AND CALL GIRLS

It is the end of Barcelona Artist Antoni Abad´s residency at The Living Room. And in order to mark this occassion properly, a cocktail will be held to launch the website of his current art project www.zexe.net/MANILA, a website devoted to inner lives of call center agents. So come and learn more about this fascinating project and perhaps meet some of the people who you talk to on the other end of the line. There will also be a brief artist´s talk and some free cranberry vodka while it lasts (thanks Finlandia!).

MARCH 25, 2006, Saturday
6:30PM
The Living Room
Unit 24, North Syquia Apartments,
1991 MH del Pilar, Malate
0 926 2597506
directions here...

BARZA CALLING...

2006-03-01T07:59:00.000+08:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...
Meet the artist-in-residence for the month of March at The Living Room, Antoni Abad. A 49-year old Catalan who hails from the city of Barcelona, this mid-career conceptual artist has been working on projects which involve giving a voice to marginalized sectors of society through the use of cell phones and the internet. In the last two years, his projects have been about the documentation of daily chores and challenges concerning disabled individuals in Barcelona, taxi drivers in Mexico City, and prostitutes in Madrid. He achieves this by providing them with cell phones and having them send their MMS images down to his website. So far, he hasn't figured out which sectors of Manila's society he wants to focus on, but his short list includes street children, seamen, and/or maybe transvestites. Stay posted to this website for info on a possible exhibition opening and artist's talk. He leaves Manila on March 26. His projects can be viewed online at www.zexe.net.

The Living Room
Unit 24, North Syquia Apts.
1991 MH del Pilar, Malate

YOU ARE INVITED TO A TEA PARTY...

2006-02-20T20:04:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time, there was once this fabulous blog belonging to a fabulous food writer and food stylist named Lori Baltazar. So delicious was this blog that we here at The Living Room had this crazy idea that she should hold an art exhibition featuring a some of Manila's finest desserts with her as the curator. So we called her out of the blue and asked her if she liked the idea. Strangely enough, she said, "Yes". So ladies and gentlemen, allow us to present:

The Living Room
presents
Dessertcomesfirst
An afternoon tea party featuring works by some of Manila's finest
confectionery artisans:
Imelda Go
Karen Young
Sharlene Tan of Qitchen
Dulcelin
Homemade by Roshan
Trina Imperial
Gerald Gan
Coffee by: Cordillera Coffee
Works curated by: Lori Baltazar
March 12.2006. Sunday. 3:00PM. Php500.00/person
Email lori_baltazar@yahoo.com for reservations or inquiries.
Directions to the Living Room here.

More details regarding this show are listed on the blog:
http://dessertcomesfirst.blogspot.com

IN MEMORIAM...

2006-02-10T07:58:00.000+08:00

NAM JUN PAIK
1932 - 2006
The man who invented video art.

LONDON TALKED AND TALKED AND...

2005-12-20T10:00:00.000+08:00

Although the unusually wet weather deprived us of a sunset view, "London Talking", the art talk-slash-critique of the current exhibition of Jackson Webb went on without a hitch last night, December 19, 2005 at 630PM. And for a crappy Monday afternoon in the height of Christmas season traffic, I was rather pleased at the enthusiastic and rather eclectic turnout. The dancer Dona Tumacder-Esteban and her husband David Esteban (of the acid jazz group Sound) arrived fresh from their honeymoon. Ivan, the Chinatown streetwalker made an appearance, as did blogger Watergirl, and the writer Anson Yu of Citiguide and Appetite Magazine, among others. The wine and Finlandia cranberry vodka* flowed throughout the evening and so did the words. The talk, of which the topics ranged from artistic processes, to the importance of collaboration, to the problems of egoism and high production costs in the art world, went on for about an hour and a half without intermission. Jackson Webb return to the UK tomorrow. I hope (nay, I'm sure) we'll see them back in this town again. Stay tuned for the next art talk.
*Thanks Premium Wines, Fran Ribano, and Jobert for the booze. It helped loosen the tongues, no doubt.

THE LIVING ROOM RECOMMENDS!

2005-12-15T08:49:00.000+08:00

CELL IT OFF!

Four excellent shows check out this weekend. First, at the Marikina Shoe Expo (aka Cubao X) on Gen. Romulo Avenue (behind Ali Mall). we have a photo exhibit (opening Thursday, Dec. 15) at Blacksoup called "Kambyo". Filmmakers and picture people like Quark Henares, Katrina Holigores, Raymond Red, Mark Meilly, Yam Laranas, and Eric Matti show off images they captured on their celphones. and...

HEIL ART.. HEIL ALL ART!
A presentation of final projects by the Interactive Storytelling, Art Appreciation and World Literature students of uber artist and now art professor at DeLaSalle, Yason Banal, Show runs from 7pm till 11 pm, with a dj set from Yason and live performances from sound artist Pow Martinez and the art band The Brockas (composed of filmmakers Roxlee, Khavn dela Cruz and Lav Diaz). There will also be additional performances by Uranus' Sonja Laban, Israel's P&G Kollectiv, Russia's AES+F Group and UK's Frank Sidebottom and Sick Happy Idle. Admission is free.

HATS OFF!
Located at the far end of Luneta Park next to the Orchidarium and fronting the Department of Tourism and that hideous sculpture of Lapu-lapu, the MUSEUM OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE is currently exhibiting "Pang-Ulo", the largest collection of traditional Filipino head dresses that I have ever seen in one room. With pieces ranging from traditional horned-bill helmets to bridal veils from the 1960's, the show is excellently displayed, curated, and comes with an accompanying conceptual installation on Philippine presidents (Pangulo also means president in Filipino). Definitely worth a gander if only to see just how well managed and progressive the Philippine Museum system has become. Free admission on Sundays. Make sure to pass by Lush Life at the Orchidarium next door afterwards for a fruit shake when you're done as well. and finally..

MANILA PAPER!
PAPEL NG PAPEL A group exhibit currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila at the Central Bank Complex on Roxas Boulevard. Rush there now and catch it quick because it's closing on Dec. 31 already. Be amazed at some of the things that artists Impy Pilapil, Tony Gonzales, and the Philippine Queen of Paper, Tes Pasola, can do with something as simple as dried pulp. Monumental, minute, and just darn lovely. Call 523-7855 for details.

THE NIGHT WAS HOT! HAUTE! HAUGHT!

2005-12-12T17:24:00.000+08:00

And so after spending a couple of days of cleaning up the construction dust, priming the walls, and hanging up the delicate artwork of collaborative artists Mark Jackson and Charlotte Webb...
Jackson Webb with TLV technical director, Denis Lagdameo
hanging artwork in the Small Gallery

At precisely 8:00PM on December 10, 2005, the lanterns were lit...
(Close up: Lamp of Reflection, 2005)

The installations were installed and the Living Room was ready to roll.
Top: Lamp of Criticism, 2005, installation view.
Bottom: Lamp of Reflection, installation view.

The evening started off rather well as guests sipped on the fabulously free-flowing Finlandia Cranberry Vodka (thanks Jobert and Fran Ribano) and nibbled on Cheese and Chocolate Fondue from the Old Swiss Inn. Some folks preened and posed for the camera...

While others let me catch them right where they were.

The topics of the evening's conversations ranged from geo-politics and the arts, to the intricacies of sado-masochism, lesbianism, and the current prices of electricity, gasoline, and fashion.

And as midnight rolled around, DJ Caliph8 arrived and spun. The art school kids of doom crowd showed up in full force and partied till the cows came home. All in all - for a rainy night in early December, I couldn't have asked for a better opening.
And if you are wondering why there aren't any names underneath the photos,

remember that this ain't the Philippine Tatler, Baby.
If you know the people in the shots then you do. And If you don't, well, it doesn't matter.

Hope to see you all at Jackson Webb's Artist's talk on December 19, 2005.
Monday, 6:00PM

LONDON CALLING...AND TALKING TOO!

2005-12-10T10:32:00.000+08:00

Jackson Webb

Soft Lighting
10 December 2005 – 10 January 2006

Artists Talk
19 December 2005, Monday
5:00PM (Sunset and Cocktails)
6:00PM Talk co-hosted by Yason Banal and myself

The Living Room Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by British artist collaboration, Jackson Webb. In their work Jackson Webb are interested in questioning ideas of functionality and object status, often producing sculptures and drawings with a design aesthetic. The way in which these works enter the increasingly grey area between art and design is characteristic of Jackson Webb’s practice, which operates across a range of creative disciplines. Whilst the works may initially appear to be functional, their titles imply a more ambiguous status, and the viewer is often left with an unsettling set of relations.

For their inaugural show at the Living Room Gallery, they present two lamps and a pair of drawings presented on whiteboards. The lamps can be seen as a tongue-in-cheek comment on the concept of ‘illumination’, and the role that criticism might play in the production of meaning. They challenge the idea that art objects are things whose meaning can be revealed through criticism, or which are a physical representation of the ideas ‘behind’ them. When looking at the work Jackson Webb suggest that it is more helpful to ask, ‘what do these objects do?’ rather than ‘what do these objects represent?’

The accompanying drawings are presented on whiteboards, which are commonly associated with education or the clarification of ideas. They are rendered characteristically dysfunctional here, however, and shed little light on matters. Although Jackson Webb began using whiteboards in their collaborative practice as a way of communicating ideas to each other, they have developed into autonomous objects in their own right. The possibility that the images can be wiped away at any point by a viewer is typical of Jackson Webb’s use of non-permanent materials, and their interest in functional or ‘active’ objects.

Mark Jackson and Charlotte Webb live and work in London, and have been collaborating since 2002. Their collaboration aims to challenge the notion of singular artistic output, and to make dialogue an inherent part of the working process. They will be undertaking a collaborative Masters degree program at Chelsea College of Art, London in January 2005. Jackson Webb have exhibited throughout London. Recent exhibitions include The Tower Of Babel, Limehouse Art Foundation, London, 2005; 100 Mothers, Oxford House, London 2005; Nth Art 001, Ols&Co Gallery, London 2005; Studio Voltaire Annual Open, London 2004; Play Dead, Spitz Gallery, London 2004; AIAIA, Shanghai 2004; This Scepter’d Isle, Space Station 65, London 2003; Viva Pablo – Bart Wells Institute, London 2003.

THE LIVING ROOM RECOMMENDS!

2005-12-02T11:33:00.000+08:00

The Warhol Museum
Time Capsule 21 Online Exhibition
This very very cool site features online images of the contents within some of the 600 cardboard boxes that Andy filled from the late 1960's till his death in 1987. A veritable time capsule which captures the 60's zeitgeist, it's an extensive oeuvre that matured into an artwork only recently and came about from having to move his studio from Union Square to his new space on Broadway. With such random objects as Dick Tracy comic books, newspaper clippings, an unopened Rolling Stones "sticky fingers" album, and moldy pizza (not in the site), it's a fascinating mix of artwork, photography, correspondence, and ephemera. It's an interesting journey through a what I only describe as the droppings of a brilliant man. Living proof that an artist's hand can still keep on creating way beyond the grave.

THE LIVING ROOM WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU:

2005-11-30T01:36:00.000+08:00

Please email your name and contact if you wish to come to the exhibition opening at ten o' clock on Dec. 10. No email. No entry.

Why? Just because. Cheers!

AND WERE OFF!

2005-11-19T10:20:00.000+08:00

The dust has settled. The paint has dried. The opening night is set for December 10, 2005. The fun begins at 9:00 PM. The fabulous art band Nyko Maca will be playing. The stylings of Cuban-Filipino DJ Caliph8 will follow after. The collaborative works of British artists Charlotte Webb and Mark Jackson will be on exhibition till January 10, 2006.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE ART KIND...

2005-11-18T09:03:00.000+08:00

So I was at Tootie Crisologo's Xth birthday party last week when I was given the rare opportunity of meeting one of my favorite artists, Manuel Ocampo. And although the grapevine buzz ranged from ""He is a passionate and brilliant man" to "He is a total Grade A jerk", I dumped all reservations and decided to strike up a conversation. Naturally, I avoided obvious topics like his cover sleeve for Beck's album, Odelay and his paintings being banished to the basement floor at Documenta IX because of his swastika imagery (those sensitive Germans. Tsk..). Instead, I decided to venture into more benign territory like "Do you live here in Manila now?" Surprisingly, he replied "Yes". "How cool." I thought, "A successful Filipino artist of international calibre choosing to come back home to the third world and be inspired by it's triumphs and turmoils in order to pursue his career". Sadly, though, from that moment onward, it all went downhill. All I can remember through the champagne filled haze of the evening was him saying comments like: "So what? When you teach history on your tours, do you just make it up?" and "Maybe you just DON"T CARE about art" before leaving his wine glass and walking off in mid-conversation. Uh oh. Can't blame him though. My bad completely. I also remember myself saying things like, "You've been living here for two years? So how come I haven't heard much about you?" and "You know, if I was looking for art, I'm sure it wouldn't be happening in SM Megamall anymore. Maybe ten years ago, but Manila has moved on and Megamall has become just another commercial wasteland." (referring to his gallery Finale Art File at the SM ArtWalk)" Because really, Finale Art File. For shame. You have one of the best and most relevant Filipino artists in your stable (along with other brilliant artists like Geraldine Javier et al) and yet we never read of him in the papers or magazines or TV shows. You don't even have a website for crying out loud. A little outreach and promotions wouldn't hurt him or the general public. That way, at least he wouldn't have to haul monographs of his work along with him to show to guests at parties.

Catch Manuel Ocampo's current show at the Finale Art File on the 5th floor ArtWalk, Megamall a level above the movie theatres and computer stores. It's an excellent show. I'd give more details but it's really hard finding anything on Finale Art File online. I hope this is a situation that will change very soon.

Above: Manuel Ocampo, Heridas de la Lengua, 1991. Oil and Canvas with chewing gum in wooden frame. 71 "x 61". Thank you www.uwrf.edu for the link.

COMING VERY. VERY. SOON...

2005-11-15T13:57:00.000+08:00

No proper living room is complete without a Spanish crystal chandelier. Well, no living room-slash-art studio-slash-performance space that is. So I ventured out into the flea markets of Evangelista, Bangkal and got one. Now it's up and I'm almost done with my restoration of the space. Make sure to watch out for the opening event of the Living Room on December 10, 2005.

Send your email address to livingroom24@gmail.com if you want to be invited. If you are already on the celdrantours mailing list, never mind sending anything. Were one mailing list.

Thank you, Watson for the Bangkal link.

THE SPACE!

2005-11-10T10:00:00.000+08:00

1(one) 60 square meter performance/exhibition space.
1 (one) 30 square meter exhibition/installation space.
Plenty of Manila Bay afternoon light.

Coming. December 2005

THE LOCATION!

2005-11-10T00:35:00.000+08:00

Unit 24, North Syquia Apartments
1991 MH del Pilar,
Malate, Manila 1006

It's right beside the Aristocrat Restaurant on M.H del Pilar.
It's diagonal to the Grand Boulevard Hotel.
It's very close to the Malate Church on Plaza Rajah Sulayman.

A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...

2005-11-10T00:30:00.000+08:00

The Nude Revisited
by Carlos Celdran
September 2003
Bare Magazine

I grew up around naked women.
Sorry. Nude women. An entire house full of them as a matter of fact.

Nudes Descending Staircase
The home I grew up in was filled with walls of nude women. Nude women in pencil; charcoal; oil; watercolor; pastel. Dozens hung salon style along the staircase of my parents’ home. Among the collection were nudes by artists like Cesar Legaspi, Manansala; H.R. Ocampo; and BenCab. Silently they hung there, forming a greeting line for any guest who entered our home. But in a room away from the public areas was a nude not meant for the visitors eye. It was a portrait of my very own mother, sitting in the buff, executed in oil pastel by the nudie master himself, Vicente Manansala. It was a image that became so familiar to our family, we almost didn’t notice it at all. “It was done in 1973, right after you were born.”, my mother told me. “Mang Enteng wanted to paint me as a portrait of motherhood.” An odd thing to say since she wasn’t pregnant in the scene. But whatever the case may be, it was early on that I realized my family was different from those of my friends simply because of nudes being such a ubiquitous part of our home. It was taken so lightly that there was even a Manansala watercolor with my father’s handwritten words “June 1975 Happy Birthday to my darling wife, Love Mike” scribbled across the models belly. It was a move my father regrets, but not too much. It was 1975 after all, and the nude in Manila was at it’s golden age. Skin and the showing of it was really no big deal and the compulsion to do so was apparent.

Bomba Ka Day!
In 1970’s Manila society and media, the move to shed inhibitions as well as clothing was gaining momentum. Perhaps it was a reaction to martial law era repression; a rationalization that since we were not allowed to speak our minds, we would bare our breasts instead. It was a period when the “Bomba” Star (our local and gentler term for “Porno Queen”) reigned at the box office, the popularity of the “Wet Look” (and the wet T-shirt) was at its peak, and Gloria Diaz, former Miss Universe and the embodiment of the ideal Filipina, showed her nipples off to the entire country in a movie that hailed her as Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa - loose translation: “The Most Beautiful Animal on the Skin of the Earth”. It was a time when the micro-mini was all the rage and prim colegialas wore their Catholic School skirts hemmed so high that it established “making boso” or “sneaking peeks at panties” as the schoolboy pastime of choice. On the other side of the spectrum and in a different part of town, the honky-tonk bars of downtown Manila also reached a belle epoch. The daring Ermita Girl and her deft abilities with ping-pong balls and beer bottles (ask around for this one), confirmed Manila as the standard by which other third world red-light districts would measure their own strip joints.

The Mood for Nudes
Yes, the sexualization of Philippine society was on and it was shifting to high gear. At the fore was the relationship between the flourishing Philippine art scene and the Manila based culturati class. All pumped up on the steroids of Imelda’s state sponsorship, together they set the mood for the nude in mid-1970’s painting and sculpture.

In the years preceding World War II, the arts were dominated by the philosophy of a group of self-proclaimed “conservatives”, found in the likes of sculptor Guillermo Tolentino, painter Fernando Amorsolo et al. Their portrayals of the naked human form was in strict keeping with western (read: Greek) ideals of formal classical beauty. From the time of Juan Luna (late 19^th century) until the era of Vittorio Edades (mid 20^th century), the exposed human body in art was a firmly analytical/metaphorical enterprise. It was used either as a subject of academic study or as a mere instrument to express a larger idea. The nude, in all it’s copied western proportions, was usually depicted as an allegory for life, death, agriculture, etc - or merely plopped down like a lawn ornament amidst a bucolic Philippine landscape.

But thanks to a group called the “modernists” (painters Vittorio Edades, Vicente Manansala, et al) whose experimental forms rebelled against the conventions of the preceding “conservatives”, the nude had expanded it range. By the 1970’s, with the establishment of the sexual revolution and the Marcos martial law culture machine, the nude was eventually stripped of all of its preconceived notions and given the opportunity to run naked. Some artists approached the nude purely as a subject, an icon to manipulate as freely as a can of soup. Others saw it as a pure art. An investigation of basic forms from which to draw out further inspiration. Sketching the body became an almost religious act. An exercise in the foundations of art. Definitely a logical place to start for a country obsessed in establishing it’s own cultural identity.

Naked Lunch
Naturally, Manila’s alta sociedad, spurred on by the validations of the cultural community, was quick to get in on the act. Sessions for sketching nude models (which usually had a young proportionally pleasing woman as the centerpiece, never men) were all the rage. It became as common as the lunchtime fashion show and was held in eclectic places like the Taza the Oro coffee shop, and the Rustan’s Department Store (at their Galerie Bleu). The art of the nude had somehow elevated itself to a social event. Many prominent figures showed their support by hosting sessions in their very own residences, yachts, or business establishments. “Yes, I hosted the Saturday Group in my Greenhills residence,” quipped former Miss Philippines Myrna Borromeo. The Saturday Group, of course, being the most famous of these naked luncheoners, counting painters Cesar Legaspi, HR Ocampo, Manuel Rodriguez Sr, and Alfredo Roces as members. “I had an appreciation for the arts”, she finalized, “even though I wasn’t really into the nude.”

On the flip side of all this happy nakedness, the trend seemed to have had a backlash. It created a lot of mediocre copycat groups which produced works that were unspectacular to say the least. Held as often as once a week, the titillation of these bare events soon wore out their audiences and Manila’s famously fickle patronage class moved on to the next big bright and shiny thing.

The Matron as Model for Manansala
Naturally, alongside the rise of the nude art form was the act of nude modeling itself. Both had found acceptance by the blue haired crowd with some of them even willing to shed it all themselves. The artist of choice for many a Manila matron was definitely National Artist Vicente Manansala. It was the combination of his affable character, propriety, and impeccable use of line and space which drew ladies all the way to his studio in SanFrancisco del Monte (then Binangonan) just to pose. In the early 70’s, it was Chona Recto Kasten, daughter of Nationalist Senator Claro M. Recto and Lucy Cruz, wife of the late Ambassador to the Court of St. James JV Cruz, who pioneered nude modeling as a fashionable activity. Although Mang Enteng and his wife Aling Hilda, maintained a friendly relationship with many models of this period, he was especially intimate with Mrs. Lucy Cruz, the Ambassor, and their family. Altogether they would fulfill the roles of model, patron, and talent scout for Mang Enteng. “On and off for many years, I would drive my friends to model for him right after a night of partying” says her son, Louie. “I had to because his studio was very hard to find.” Ironically, Mang Enteng was just getting up to start his day as they were wrapping up theirs. “Most of the time, they would just fall asleep on a bean bag in his studio as he sketched them.” It was a perfect relationship that only the 70’s could create.

The Declining Nude
By the mid-1980’s, with the departure of the Marcoses and the death of Manansala, the decline of the nude sketch as a society collectible was evident. Tastes were changing all around and the immediacy of photography was being opted over the allure of a charcoal drawing. “Yeah, I posed in the nude, everyone was doing it. But I was also one of the few with the guts to actually exhibit it.” says Evelyn Lim-Forbes, social activist and Tai-Ping Rugs heiress. “But I was of a different generation, this was the early 80’s, these were photographs.” Out went the long sittings for a sketch as the works of photographers Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Wig Tysmans, Neal Oshima, and Butch Baluyot became the names of choice when it can to preserving ones posterior for posterity.

The End of an Era
Its now the year 2003, and an odd mix of neo-conservatism and commercialized sexuality has now taken over the land. Gone is the Bomba Star of yore and in her place, we are given the “Prosti” appeal of Aubrey Miles and the pedophilic fantasies of Maui Taylor. The school skirt hem has fallen to an all time low; the honky tonks have long since moved to more shopping mall-like environments by EDSA; and the nude portrait of the society matron has become practically extinct as a whole. The nude figure itself, although still edgy in the works of painters like Kiko Escora and Jojo Legaspi, has finally been crowded out by the larger voices of abstraction and alternative media. Only three years past the millennium and the nude has become just one subject among many battling for the patron’s peso. And just like the portrait of my mother - which is now stashed away in a closet - the nude movement, despite all it’s freshness and idealism, has become just another icon to be stored with the rest of one’s memories from the 1970’s.