'Compared to What...': A Cris Villanueva homecoming
Cris Villanueva (left) with former
classmates Tibong Jardeleza and
Atty. Vicente Gengos Jr.
Iloilo seems to be a good breeding ground for visual artists. A man by the name of Crispin Salcedo Villanueva, Jr., a living epitome of unprecedented Ilonggo artistry, is just one of them. Undeniably, Villanueva's talent has attracted the attention of art enthusiasts from around the world. Even Christie's, an international art auction house in London, is interested in his artworks.
Covers (Burn Them All)
Born from an Ilongga mom who hails from the famous Salcedo clan of Sara and a Batangueño dad, Cris spent his early childhood days here in Iloilo. His love for art sprung during his elementary years at the Colegio de Sagrado Corazon de Jesus and was further developed during his teens at the legendary St. Clements School. By attending series of workshops since he was a young boy, Cris has learned the perfect combination for award-winning masterpieces. His talent was polished and honed when he entered UP Diliman where he acquired a degree in Fine Arts major in Advertising.
After his few years stint as an art director for Image Dimensions, a respected advertising company responsible for some huge print and TV commercials, Cris finally decided to become a full-time man of art.
Better than the Gift
He participated in several renowned competitions and often went home with a prize. The most recent was the 2005 Philippine Art Awards sponsored by Philip Morris where his artwork "Something is Missing But Something is Found" took home PhP300,000.00 for the Grand Prize topping the 750 participants from all over the country.
Truly, this Ilonggo artist has gone a long way in the field of painting long enough to establish his own forte. He calls this revolutionary genre of art as bubble wrap.
Civilian Camouflage
A bubble wrap is an illusionary form of plastic wrap (often used in shipping furnitures) done over a painting in a canvass using oil as a medium. The idea was conceived while he was in San Francisco where he was sent as a sole delegate of the country for the Filipino-American Art Exposition. Upon seeing his 12 artworks still wrapped after shipping, his quick wit opened a new door for a well-embraced form of art.
Something's Missing but Something is
Found
In line with his newly-found theme, Villanueva has adopted a certain process called appropriation. In appropriation, the artist utilizes other works and wrap them in bubbles then consider them his own.
"The idea of bubble wrap is that half of the painting is concealed and the other half is disclosed" explains Cris who looks up to his mentor and UP professor Roberto Chavet and Russia-born American painter Mark Rothko.
Sealed Air
His artworks, which include collage as well figurative and abstract types of painting, will be on display at the Museo Iloilo by the second week of August. The one-man show dubbed as "Compared to what..." will feature 20 or more masterpieces which mirrors his evolution in the art industry as well as his prowess as polished by time. The show will open at 6:00 pm this coming August 11.
"I called it Compared to what... not because I'm comparing myself to other artists. The comparison lies on my past and present work," declares Villanueva who now resides in Antipolo.
Alternative Space
His paintings "Better than the Gift", an old European painting wrapped in bubbles as inspired by the old cliché that sometimes the wrap is better than the gift itself, and " Alternative Space", which plays on the idea that other artists don't approve on the idea of commercialism, will be included in the show.
The homecoming art exhibit will last until mid-September of this year.
Villanueva will simultaneously have a show together with a group of Manila artists at the Future Prospects Gallery in Cubao this month and will have another one in West Gallery, Quezon City at around September of this year.