FOR THE BENEFIT OF

A u t i s m S o c ie t y o f t h e P hilip p in e s Baguio Chapter

who will r e c e iv e 5% of ev e r y s a le

The Birth of Venus

ALECK MARAMAGARRADAZA & MICA CABILDO

D I G I TA L CATA L O G

20 October 17 November 2013 Bliss Cafe, Hotel Elizabeth, Baguio City

Other than Here

EXHIBITION NOTE BY JAIME OSCAR SALAZAR It may well be the iconic representation by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli that springs most swiftly to mind when one seeks to imagine the mythological event of the birth of Venus: having recently risen from the sea foam as a fully grown woman, the goddess stands poised upon the edge of an enormous scallop shell, her fluttering hair and soft hands draped across her uncovered b o d y, a s a p a i r o f i n t e r t w i n e d w i n d s g e n t l y steer her toward the shore, where an attendant, seemingly caught in a dance, prepares to dress her in a decorated robe. Much like the domains of love and beauty o v e r w h i c h t h e t i t u l a r d i v i n i t y h o l d s s w a y, this Renaissance painting roils with tensions

Detail from The Birth of Venus Sandro Botticelli

and contradictions: it is curiously flat and linear; the figures, each arrayed in improbable ways, all appear to float, at once corpor e a l a n d e t h e r e a l ; a n d t h e s e n s u a l s p e c t a cl e o f V e n u s s n a k e d f o r m i s m i t i g a t e d n o t s o much by her pose, which is a conventional o n e u n d e r p i n n e d b y t h e n o t i o n o f m o d e s t y, i f not shame, but by the distance in her gaze: she looks out of the canvas not in order to m e e t t h e e y e s o f t h e v i e w e r, b u t t o c o n s i d e r a liminal elsewhere. It is such elsewhereseach a nascent, indeterminate destination; a fluid, ephemeral site of possibility; a sigh / that holds the w o r l d i n p l a c e [1] t h a t A l e c k M a r a m a g Arradaza and Mica Cabildo attempt to gesture toward, fly to, and map out with their r e s p e c t i v e w o r k s o n p a p e r, w h i c h , i n t h i s exhibition, held in the month of their birth, find them ruminating, from distinct perspectives, on that force which drives their lives, loves, and labors: desire.
Detail from The Birth of Venus Sandro Botticelli

Chiromancy Curry Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Maramag-Arradaza, using watercolor and organic forms, depicts scenes from daily life and glimpses of physical and psychic spaces to meditate upon the domestication of desire. This involves, on the one hand, e s t a b l i s h i n g o r d e r a n d s a f e t y, f o r i t i s o n l y from a position of comfort, of belongingn e s s , h o w e v e r t e m p o r a r y, t h a t o n e m a y assess the extent of her resources and decide how best to allocate them so as to gain what she longs for; and, on the other hand, brushing up against the structures t h a t t a m e a n d c o n t a i n i n cl u d i n g t h e l i m i t s of the chosen artistic medium, where water functions as both ally and foeand transcending them in the spirit of self-expansion, of redefining her sense of place.

Such constant struggle is by no means an abstraction; indeed, it was thought, felt, and performed as part of the creative p r o c e s s t h a t r e s u l t e d i n t h e p i e c e s i n cl u d e d h e r e : g i v e n h e r r o l e a s h o m e m a k e r, Maramag-Arradaza had had to sneak out to paint, carving out slivers and blocks of time in between various chores and during periods when the members of her family had been asleep.

Cayenne, Cayenne Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Deimatic Display Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Clammed Up Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Proportions of the Human Face, Albrecht Drer

Bullet Mica Cabildo

The absence of hand-rendered elements m a r k s C a b i l d o s e x p l o r a t i o n s o f t h e i d e a l ization of desire. Her highly structured collages, consisting entirely of found material, contain oblique references to her career as a professional graphic designer and are inspired by the German thinker A l b r e c h t D r e r, p a r t i c u l a r l y h i s s t u d y o n t h e proportions of the human face. In addition, the arrangements of type and image draw energy from two contrasting female characters that are often found in film noir: the ingnue and the femme fatale. While they are endowed with the power to lure and to enchant, even to seduce, each enjoys a peculiar relationship with mortal danger: the ingnue is stalked by it, almost as if

she has summoned it to attend her like a s h a d o w, w h e r e a s t h e f e m m e f a t a l e , a s h e r very designation suggests, possesses the potential to wield and inflict it upon those a r o u n d h e r. T h e c o m p o s i t i o n s , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e i r a p p a r e n t r i g i d i t y, e n g a g e i n s t y l e s o f p l a y b o t h f o u l a n d f a i r, s l i d i n g along the continuum delineated by this pair o f a r c h e t y p e s a n d p o i n t i n g u p t h e e v e rproximate presence of death, whose other name is perfection.

Serial Killer Mica Cabildo

Predator: Reptile Mica Cabildo

Predator: Feline Mica Cabildo

Although the works of Maramag-Arradaza and Cabildo are evidently informed by autobiographical themes, what is conceived or birthed in this exhibition is neither a s o b s t o r y n o r a c o n f i d e n t i a l w h i s p e r [2]. Instead, each artist brings together and proffers ludic reflections and keen speculations upon her rich and active private world, creating a vivid and compelling itinerary of her story so far: a story that, l i k e B o t t i c e l l i s V e n u s , e x i s t s i n a c o n t i n u ing presentin that state of perpetual arrival that can only stoke desire. The Birth of Venus runs from 20 October 2013 until 17 November 2013 at Bliss Caf, H o t e l E l i z a b e t h , B a g u i o C i t y.
Notes 1 . J . N e i l C . G a r c i a , A l u n s i n a s R e t u r n , K a l u l u w a : N e w a n d S e l e c t e d P o e m s , M a n i l a : U n i v e r s i t y o f S a n t o To m a s P u b l i s h i n g H o u s e , 2 0 0 1 , p . 2 5 6 - 7 . 2.Linda Nochlin, Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?, Women, Art, and Power and Other E s s a y s , N e w Yo r k : H a r p e r a n d R o w , 1 9 8 8 , p . 1 4 5 - 7 8 .

Cold Patchouli Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Rosewater Aleck Maramag Arradaza

Aleck and Mica were both art staffers in DLSU's of cial literary and arts publication when they met in 2002. They also discovered then that they shared t h e s a m e b i r t h d a y.

The Artists
ALECK MARAMAGARRADAZA Aleck Maramag-Arradaza (b.1983) is a Baguio-based mother of 2. She graduated with a degree in Literature from De La Salle U n i v e r s i t y i n 2 0 0 6 . S h e w a s t h e E d i t o r- i n c h i e f o f M a l a t e L i t e r a r y Fo l i o , D e L a S a l l e University's official literary and arts publication. She taught for a year at St. Scholastica's College, Manila, then took her Masteral studies in Literature at De La Salle University where she also became part-time f a c u l t y f o r a y e a r. S h e w a s a f e l l o w a t t h e 48th Silliman University National Writers Workshop. She then went on to becoming a p r i v a t e t u t o r t o k i d s f r o m X a v i e r, I C A , a n d British School Manila. She had been teaching for 3 years before deciding to stop,

also discontinuing her Masteral studies, in order to give birth to her second son. She and her partner decided to migrate to Baguio City and get married there in 2011, to begin a l i f e t o g e t h e r i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t cl o s e r t o each other and to nature. She now works f r o m h o m e f o r a U S - b a s e d c o m p a n y, a l o n g s i d e h e r h u s b a n d , t o b e w i t h t h e i r 2 - y e a r- o l d son who was very recently diagnosed with ASD. She vows to make time to write, paint, and create again. This is her first exhibition.

Involvement Aleck Maramag Arradaza

The Artists
MICA CABILDO M i c a C a b i l d o ( b . 1 9 8 6 ) i s a n i l l u s t r a t o r, g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r, a r t i s t a n d a r t d i r e c t o r based in Metro Manila. She studied Advertising Management in De La Salle U n i v e r s i t y, g r a d u a t i n g i n 2 0 0 5 . S h e w a s p a r t o f t h e A r t S e c t i o n o f D L S U s M a l a t e L i t e r a r y Fo l i o f o r m o s t o f h e r c o l l e g e y e a r s , a n d h e l d the Art Editor position in 2004. Professionall y t r a i n e d i n t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Ty p o g r a p h i c Style, she has been illustrating and designing for print and branding for the past 7 years. She has participated in artist r e s i d e n c i e s i n Ta g a y t a y a n d B a g u i o . I n 2 0 1 2 , s h e w a s a c c e p t e d t o O x - B o w Fa l l A r t i s t R e s i d e n cy i n M i c h i g a n a n d V e r m o n t S t u d i o Center in Johnson, Vermont, with full
Good Life Mica Cabildo

scholarships, but was unable to attend both after having been denied a U.S. visa three times. She has been accepted to a 6-month v i s u a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n r e s i d e n cy i n A k a d e m i e S c h l o s s S o l i t u d e , S t u t t g a r t , G e r m a n y, t o begin on October 2014. Her art projects are relational, craft-based and design-related. T h i s i s h e r f i r s t e x h i b i t i o n o f w o r k s o n p a p e r.

Firestarter Mica Cabildo

Soft Spot Mica Cabildo

Monumental Mica Cabildo

WATERCOLOR WORKS ON PAPER BY ALECK MARAMAGARRADAZA

MIXED MEDIA COLLAGES BY MICA CABILDO

Chirom ancy Curr y P hP 3,800

A r twor k 9 in. x 1 0 in. ; Fra me 9.7 i n. x 11.5 i n

Bullet PhP 4,200

A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

Cayenne , Caye nne P hP 5,000

A r twor k 1 0 in. x 1 3 in. ; Fra me 11 i n. x 14.5 i n

Serial Killer PhP 4,200

A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

De im at ic Display P hP 5,000
A r twor k 1 0 in. x 1 4 in. ; Fra me 11 i n. x 14.5 i n

Predator: Reptile PhP 4,200

A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n.

Clam m ed Up P hP 5,000
A r twor k 1 0 in. x 1 4 in. ; Fra me 11 i n. x 14.5 i n

P r e d a t o r : Fe l i n e PhP 4,200
A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

Cold Pat c houli P hP 3,800

A r twor k 9 in. x 1 0 in. ; Fra me 11 i n . x 14.5 i n

Good Life PhP 4,200

A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

Rosewat er P hP 3,800
A r twor k 9 in. x 1 0 in. ; Fra me 17.5 i n . x 14.5 i n

F i r e st a r t e r PhP 4,200
A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

Involveme nt P hP 3,800
A r twor k 9 in. x 1 0 in. ; Fra me 17.5 i n . x 14.5 i n

Soft Spot PhP 4,200

A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

M o n u me n t a l PhP 4,200
A rt w o rk 5 i n. x 7 i n. ; Fra m e 8 . 2 5 i n. x 1 0 . 2 5 i n

Inqui r i e s & R e s e r v a tio n s

Please write to blissnbaguio@yahoo.com with Birth of Venus as the subject.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

J i m War d & Shant i I s l a J ai m e O s car Sal az ar J oeban A r r adaz a C r i m s on A r r adaz a R em y E nr i quez Mi guel H i dal go Vi ncent N av ar r o t he B l i s s C af e s t af f and A ut i s m Soci et y of t he P hi l i ppi nes B agui o C hapt er

Bliss Cafe is located at Hotel Elizabeth, G i b r a l t a r c o r. F e l i p e S t r e e t , B a g u i o C i t y.