Monday, November 09, 2009

In Between: The Tension and Attraction of Difference


In Between: The Tension and Attraction of Difference
September 29 - November 25, 2009

Reception with the Artists: Tuesday, November 10, 5:30-7:30pm.

TABI TABI PO!!!



1AM Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 13 - Dec. 12, 2009
Dedicated to celebrating Filipino folklore through urban contemporary art, San Francisco artist and curator James “gaNyan” Garcia has brought together Filipino artists from the US, Philippines, and Norway to create “Tabi Tabi Po”. The Kapre, Manananggal, Dwende, Tikbalang, and Aswang are just a sampling of these haunting creatures that will be brought to life in this exhibit.

A percentage of the art sales will be donated to the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng through BAYAN Philippines and BALSA (Bayanihan para sa Sambayanan).

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Pacific Asia Museum: Opening Reception


Calligraffiti: 
Writing in Contemporary Chinese and Latino Art
September 17, 2009 - January 17, 2010




To listen my excerpts of the audio tour at the museum, call (626) 628-9690 and enter item #611 and #612.

I am so honored to be included in this show. Among the artists featured are my long-time heroes Xu Bing and Wenda Gu. Also featured are Zhang Dali, Chongbin Zheng, Yu-Kun Yang, Chaz Bojorquez, Gronk, John Valadez, and Leo Limon.

My work included a series of parasols created in collaboration San Francisco's Apex and and a painting--"One World, One Dream" that I created as part of a live performance with Desi W.O.M.E. at the Oakland Art Gallery.



Unfortunately, because many of the works belong to private collections, the Museum did not allow photography in two of the galleries. I was able to take pictures only in the gallery with the museum murals and my own pieces.  


Video of Xu Bing and LA graffiti artists creating three murals commissioned by the museum in 2003. 
Site specific mural by Gronk.Views of the one of the three galleries.



Monday, June 29, 2009

PARAPHRASE: Arario Gallery Opening Reception


This is a wonderful show curated by Nicole Caruth, featuring enormous installations by Cui Fai of her thorn and twig calligraphic pieces, new tape pieces by Aakash Nihalani and an expansion of works from my Flash Series, including a large piece on the wall of the gallery and new 6' layered scrolls.
Photos  from the opening and installation--  Paraphrase, is on view at Arario New York through July 24.  (West 25th St. @ 10th Ave.)  More pics on Flickr...






The parasols I created with Coby Kennedy are hanging by the entrance as well!

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Nyima: Art as Alchemy








In a project inspired by the work of El Anatsui, I worked with local youth, residents, and the staff at Deer Park to create a small piece for the Institute's dining area. We sifted through the collected trash at Deer Park for raw materials that could be transformed--foil and plastic wrappers from chips, chocolate, tea and coffee. 





 

Nyima means "sun" in Tibetan.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Deer Park, Bir







District Kangra
tea country.

from the roof 
panoramic valley views at sunset

here one gets just a tease of the Himalayas
we got fresh snow in the mountains yesterday
its May.

but the rivers are dry
choked by the heat
and the heap of plastic bottles
biscuit wrappers 
tires


some afternoons
thunder storms blow through
intense, urgent in their will 
to unravel
the most stoic flagpoles

as i walk to the town from deer park
chirping birds give way 
to barking dogs
to honking taxis
to trucks rumbling thru
with daily loads of rocks
from the river

it is saka dawa
one of the holiest months in the buddhist calendar
and the whirring of large prayer wheels
chants and the tinkling of tea cups
permeates the tibetan settlement community center.

it is believed this month
the merit of good deeds are
multiplied many thousands of times.



(Pictured: Deer Park temple, a detail from one of the murals at Dzongsar Institute in Chauntra, Geeti and I for a walk down to the river, and the mani stones at Chokling Monastery.)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Delhi


the wind. it hit me like the voice of a familiar friend,
sending me back
to joys 
long lost 
past the memory of chili.

this place is music in the form
of spice
infiltrating the air
almost indistinguishable from dust
simmering in the sunlight
songs and thuds from taut
skins 
laughter in the morning
bare feet 
clapping

this place is music in the form
of prayer
praising the dawn
almost indistinguishable from birdsong
calling to life the wake
of children
sailing past fragrances
sweetly drifting
yellow boughs





Sunday, March 29, 2009

Exploring the source anew... the beginning of a new series


its so yummy to find time to write again. i'm minimally workshopping the poems. i guess for me they've been a part of excavating my creative process...this one is fresh and probably not done. i think i would like it to be the narrative for an animation piece.

("dilaw" is yellow in tagalog and "puti" is white)


dilaw. puti. dilaw. puti.

i cough color
staining baby cheeks
wrists, fingernails
feet

dilaw. puti. dilaw. puti.

hands slapping
morena, mistiza,
dilaw. puti. dilaw. puti.
i raise a hand
in protest
my soul is not reflected
in my color --it lays
between sinews
saving voices
laying dormant
dilaw. puti. dilaw. puti.
until such a time
as spirit erupts
irrepressible and pure
like rage in a forest.



image: From the series "Saving Face" by M. Mangahas, 2006, Philippine cocoa, paraffin, chili