In Urban Labyrinth, award-winning artist Rodel Tapaya explores the modern Filipino psyche and the current issues affecting the nation
Eerie, phantasmagorical, and soul-stirring: these are but a few words that describe the work of internationally-renowned contemporary Filipino artist Rodel Tapaya. These are particularly apt given the content of his latest exhibition Urban Labyrinth at the Ayala Museum.
Co-presented by the Arndt Art Agency (A3), the exhibition will be comprised of 18 new pieces ranging from large-scale canvases to reverse-paintings (works painted under moulded glass frames), as well as short video productions.
Here, Tapaya juxtaposes characters and situations from regional folklore with contemporary realities as a way of expressing his views and responses regarding issues currently affecting Philippine society. In Instant Gratification, for example, he plays on the Tagalog fable The Monkey and the Tortoise, using it in an allegorical context with the way many people seek instant wealth through gambling or spurious occupations. In the case of the deeply surreal Aswangs Enter the City, on the other hand, the artist equates crimes spurred by greed and fanaticism with supernatural monsters sweeping into an unsuspecting town in the middle of the night. According to Tapaya, this particular work reflects his views regarding the spate of extra-judicial killings particularly in impoverished urban areas.
A trip through Tapaya’s labyrinth is whimsical and harrowing at the same time, as he depicts urban poverty as a play onstage where every character reflects the joys, sorrows, and anxieties of those in the real world. By presenting his work as an allegory, the artist enables those visiting the exhibition to discover themselves by way of the lessons he presents in each piece.
