View of “Sa kabila ng tabing lamang sa panahong ito” (Waiting just behind the curtain of this age), 2024, Philippine pavilion, Venice.
“In the pavilion, I resurrected Lucbanin symbols as subtle gestures through which the audience can anchor their thinking and draw their own meaning. The fiberglass boulder shaped like those found at the foot of Mount Banahaw, erratic music from the local marching band, as well as archival photos and a video of people and places from my grandfather’s collection each quietly carry elements of this sacred place. At first, the connections might not be apparent, since it can be challenging for an unfamiliar audience to decipher these coded narratives. But I think there is value in this vague playfulness—of assembling these diverse elements and letting viewers make of this collage what they will. That is why installation is so effective at complicating ideas, as there is no one way to look at things; there are different entry points and exits that don’t readily relate. An installation forces you to look more intentionally at otherwise mundane objects and weave connections between them based on your own experiences.”
Interview with Mark Salvatus about his works for the Philippine Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. Full interview on Artforum can be found here.
