Manuel Ocampo holds UP lectures, Santi Bose book launch at Instituto Cervantes

MANILA, Philippines - Upon the invitation of Manuel Ocampo, the Philippines’ most internationally recognized artist, two eminent curators based in Spain, are in Manila for a series of lectures, and to launch a book they commissioned much-admired Filipino artist Santiago Bose to write.

Kevin Power, former deputy director of the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, holds the chair of American Literature in the University of Alicante. He has curated many important exhibitions. His written work has been published around the world. As a critic he has written for Flash Art, Frieze and Arena.

Born in Vigo, Spain, Monica Carballas’ exhibitions have focused in part on Latin American art. These shows include “Experimental Rio, Beyond Poetry, Art and Action” at the Fundacion Marcelino Botin in Santander, Spain in 2007, and “Labyrinth of Visibility: Experimental Audio Visual Work During the Dicatorships” for the Trienial de Artes Visuales in Santiago, Chile, in 2009.

In part, the talks provide the opportunity to explore relationships in visual arts in former colonies of Spain and Portugal.

Power and Carballas have commissioned Bose to write the second edition of the book series Conversations in the Cabin published by White Wine Press based in Cantabria. The series consists of artist texts from all over the world dealing with any aspect except their own work.

Bose’s collaboration with White Wine consists of Baguio Graffiti an essay on his childhood memories in an American Army base in Baguio and Stray Cats, a dialogue on contemporary art.

Bose has earned an indisputable reputation as one of the most prolific, ingenious and innovative artists in the Philippine art scene after his first solo exhibit in 1975. His unique style and irreverent works are often characterized with his use of local and homegrown materials in his work like bamboo, volcanic ash and debris.

While Bose has received numerous acclaim for his works both locally and abroad, the book’s editor Kevin Power mentioned the fact his work needs broader and deeper critical attention that it has received.

“Santiago has a place in the history of the Philippines since he has produced great works of arts. Unfortunately, I believe there’s no big catalogue that covers the body of works of Santiago,” Power said.

The lectures were recently held at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, Bartlett Hall, Diliman, Quezon City. The Santi Bose book will be launched on March 3, 7 p.m., at Instituto Cervantes.

The presentation of Baguio Graffiti – Gatos Callejeros is organized by Instituto Cervantes d e Manila in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, and Spanish Agency International Cooperation for Development (AECID).

Entrance to the launch is free. Copies of the book will also be sold during the presentation. For information, call 526-1482 to 85 or visit http://manila.cervantes.es Instituto Cervantes de Manila is at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila.