“In the globalized age where a nomadic lifestyle is normalized, there is an ever-growing, parallel current that begs the question of returning to our roots. While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of these mythical roots, locality (a sense of belonging to the ground on which you are standing at this moment) remains a fertile field of exploration for artists. Viva EXCON 2023, titled Suba sa Iraya (“Swimming upstream” in Kinaray-a), with its historical focus on local engagements and trans-island connections in the Visayas, continues upholding this sense of curiosity about locality across different venues in two Antiqueño municipalities of San Jose de Buenavista and Sibalom. […]”
“Faith has long been an entry point to look at history, and certain artists in this Viva edition have chosen religious symbolisms as a way to engage with not only Antique but also their interlinked localities across the Visayas. […]”
“Social reality inquiry is another method with which a number of artists in Viva have chosen to look at the layered histories of Antique. […]”
“Materiality is another portal through which the Viva artists dialogue with Antique’s localities, […]”
“In addition to the artists from the islands, regional artists and curators are also invited to respond to Visayan localities. […]”
“Overall, Viva EXCON Antique was a journey upstream. Against the many setbacks in terms of resources, infrastructures, and experiences, the curatorial team Alice Sarmiento, Jay Nathan T. Jore, and Allyn Canja, with the artistic and curatorial direction of Green Papaya Art Projects, as well as the extended organizational teams of Antique Visual Arts Association (AVAA) this year have created enclaves of artistically immersive exhibitions across Antique, facilitated the opportunities for the artists to respond to layers of Antiqueño and Visayan histories, and invited different communities across San Jose and Sibalom to join the programs and fiestas – which solidifies the ethos of local connections and inter-island engagements of Viva.”
Read the full review at Rappler.
