How does one's environment influence his art? How
has Manila done this for you?
Manila opens me to many things—like how I spent two
or so years volunteering for a great Buddhist monastery,
Ocean Sky, in San Juan. That influenced me a lot.
Also, I think with Manila being the main city, a lot
of people who are the best in what they do are here or are
compelled to go here. And it's great that I can be friends
and hang out with some of them.
What were the most pressing barriers in your pursuit of art?
Myself. Anxiety and worrying. From having so many
possibilities of what I can do and be.
I think this resonates not only with creatives, but
everyone in our generation as well. How do you
overcome yourself?
I think it affects everyone, like I can see my parents
struggling through their own stuff, too. It amazes me how
they manage to still function sometimes. There are a lot of
people struggling with worse things, and it really amazes
me how they manage to get along on their endeavors.
Sometimes, I struggle really hard. The thing is I try
to notice it, like in the past week I’ve been feeling really
down. When that happens, I usually resort to playing
games. I'm trying to find a balance and a working system
but so far here's some of the things I've learned:
Self-help, self-improvement books can help. Listening to
them while working [works] even better. Hypnosis, as weird
as it is, works for me; mantras, too. Journaling and writing.
Still, there are times where I just don't want to work.
Sometimes, I will say that I’ll just work for 15 minutes today,
or just do whatever the minimum is. It sucks.
There are times when I'm back on my feet. But it
bums me out when it’s a weekend and all of my family is at
home, trying to relax, while I’m there trying to grind.
When I work for someone or with someone, I’m amazed
just how hard I can work for them. But when I work for
myself I just burn out. But yeah, it’s still a work in progress.
Do you sense a difference between art in Manila and in
the regions? How so?
Yes, I noticed that a lot of art from the provinces are very
traditional and craftsy. Not that it's bad, but in that way it’s different.
Of course, there are outliers but they end up having to show and
do work here in Manila eventually. In a way, some of the artists
who come from the provinces bring strong local traditions with
them. That can be quite unique and exciting to see.
As someone who isn't from Manila, what you said struck
me. What do you think draws people to the capital?
I think because the institutions are here. The embassies
are here. The museums are here. The galleries and
collectors are here—not all but most of them.
How does that affect the art scene in Manila?
We get to see various art from different places, too.
During art fairs, galleries from other regions come here.
I have friends who are based in Laguna, Cavite, Cebu,
Bacolod, Davao, and they come here to do projects. I think it
makes the art scene more varied.
With people from outside Manila coming here, it
generates interests for people to visit and do projects in
their [regional] spaces, like how we recently did an exhibit
in a pineapple farm in Cavite.
“There's a loud side
[art done in Manila].
The dirt, grit and chaos.
Then there's the more silent
side: subtle, subversive,
coded, toned down. And
also humor: fun and play.”
What types of art is Manila conducive to?
There's a loud side. The dirt, grit and chaos. Then
there's the more silent side: subtle, subversive, coded, toned
down. And also humor: fun and play.
There’s also a generosity of being able to do way more
things publicly and be able to get away with them, in
contrast to how strict more-developed countries can be.
How can Manila be more conducive for creatives?
I don’t believe it has to. I believe the artists should be
the one adapting. But less traffic would be nice.
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