The CityGalleryVienna was buzzing with energy on the evening of September 16, 2024.
Art lovers, expatriates, and curious locals gathered to witness an exhibition like no other, showcasing the vibrant and multifaceted talents of Filipino artists in a rare international setting.
Titled ISANG GUHIT, this exhibit was a celebration of Filipino identity, bridging Manila’s bustling streets and Vienna’s refined art scene.
Curated by Norlie Meimban and brought to life by the Vienna-based Artist Network, Sige!, and the Manila-based Bastedor Art Project, ISANG GUHIT was a captivating fusion of styles, stories, and spirits.
Arnel David Garcia’s pieces, inspired by cubism, were the first to catch visitors’ eyes. His geometric abstracts hinted at hidden stories, and gallery-goers found themselves drawn to the layers of emotions embedded within his angular forms.
Nearby, the vibrant drip paintings of Art Lozano were equally mesmerizing, with Volkswagen Beetles—relics of both nostalgic Americana and Manila street culture—splattered in joyful colors.
Binong Alvin Javier’s work hung beside Lozano’s, echoing a similar vibrancy but with looser, more organic drips that created hypnotic patterns, as if the colors themselves were in conversation.
Further along, Charmaine Taus’s canvases radiated with intricate, colorful patterns that evoked a sense of woven tapestries, creating a lively, visual dance across the gallery wall.
And right beside her, Didier Alarcon’s overlapping realism was a study in depth and detail, blurring the lines between reality and dreams. His work contrasted beautifully with Gerry De Guzman’s traditional flat jeepney art, which transported onlookers directly to the streets of Manila, with its emblematic bright colors and bustling, lively energy.
Harold Khan’s pop art portraits, meanwhile, seemed to stare boldly back at the viewer, infusing a modern Filipino perspective into the iconic styles of Western pop art.
These were contrasted by Jojo Ramirez’s traditional works, which grounded the viewer in a more timeless representation of Filipino art and people. Not far from these were Maan Umotoy-Premacio’s abstracts of wild, blooming flowers—a celebration of nature, delicate yet bursting with life.
In one corner, Norlie Meimban’s portraits stood out with their intricate, line-based technique, creating expressions and emotions through an almost rhythmic structure. Ejem Alarcon’s pop realism continued the rhythm with vivid, lifelike compositions that somehow still felt dreamlike, while Ela Andal’s European-influenced street pop art grounded it all with raw, urban energy, blending both Filipino and European perspectives in a playful, edgy manner.
For days, the exhibit drew in people from around the city, each visitor exploring the depths and dimensions of Filipino artistry from a new angle. Vienna, known for its classical art heritage, embraced this influx of contemporary Filipino vision, leaving a lasting impression on both the artists and the viewers.
As the event came to a close on September 21, artists and visitors alike felt that ISANG GUHIT had achieved more than just an exhibit; it had created a dialogue, a beautiful intersection of cultural narratives, leaving a mark on Vienna that would echo long after the gallery lights dimmed.
