Contemporary Filipino artist, RAYMOND KAWATAKI GO of Boac, Marinduque will open his upcoming show "ALAMAT" March 30, Saturday, 6PM at Galerie Anna, located at 4F Megamall Bldg. A.
In today's (3/25/19), Manila Bulletin Lifestyle page some of his works described as "thoughtful, highly informative and
visually engaging works" are featured in "Alamat: Bridge to the Past".
Excerpts:
"Every year during the Lenten season, the island of Marinduque hosts the highly anticipated Moriones Festival, featuring folks dressed as biblical Roman soldiers. For Raymond Kawataki Go, the festival is more than a beloved local tradition. It planted a seed in his psyche that will grow into a deep understanding of the wisdom offered by the past. “I was influenced by the figures of the Moriones sculpted masks,” Go said, recalling that he has moved by “the greedy faces that show anger and power of the Roman soldiers.”
It was during this time that Go was also drawn toward painting. He attributed his decision to take up the brush when he was merely an elementary student, to a fascination for the arts largely spurred by his surroundings. “My deep love for art history started when we inherited paintings from my great grandfather who was a collector of paintings of old masters,” he says. “It greatly influenced me to read, research more, and study art history”...
"... There is an undeniable sense of urgency emanating from the creations of Go. This is caused by his desire to reveal existing social life to his countrymen, to incite, if not action, at the very least, sympathy. “Good governance, equality, and justice for all are the key to empower the Philippine people,” he says. “As an artist I believe I can help remind people about our history, because my paintings speak for themselves.” Indeed, the works of Go are not merely a landscape or a portrait. They are teeming with meticulously researched symbols, each element holding significant meaning. “Every place has a message that touches the inner core of human consciousness and, with hope, it will remain in the hearts and minds of the Filipino people,” Go says..."
"... Starting from the Spanish conquista, through American colonization, down to contemporary times, Kawataki Go rails against the abusive use of power and the arrogance of leaders, of whatever race, color, or creed, thus breeding corruption, inequality, and spiraling poverty.
"Regarding his art as a sharp weapon of expression, Kawataki Go wields it deftly through the visual aplomb of Pop and Surreal images, for the determined purpose of eviscerating past and present leaders. A native of Marinduque, the artist admits to the influence of his hometown’s famous Lenten festival, the Moriones, where masks are worn to symbolize the Roman centurions in pursuit of Longinus, who pierced the side of the Christ with a lance." - Cid Reyes
