Carnival Quintet
Alburoto | Bryan Antonio | Jesse Camacho | Kiko Moran | Martkills
15 Oct - 10 Nov 2021
Everyone loves a circus - but will the circus love you back?
To some, a circus may trigger memories of the wondrous joys of childhood. It’s the excitement of a fair arriving in town, candy striped tents being set up, and barkers crowing all sorts of delights. The popcorn and candy give off all sorts of heavenly smells, and there are tons of prizes waiting to be won, just over at the next booth.
That certainly seems to be the approach by carnie-kid Jesse Camacho, with his hero “Jack” all adorned in clown make-up (“Why Do I Have To”) or imprisoned in impossible chains, à la Houdini (“Comfort”). On the other hand, the elfin Gemart Ortega serves up delightful confections of kids smothered and dripping in ice cream flavors, just like those most pleasant dreams of that corner ice cream parlor dishing out perpetual sundaes and sorbets.
To others, a circus may refer to something more sinister. Wunderkid Aldrin Tamidles, aka Alburoto, makes snide references to the crocodiles in the government. In “Clone”, his jester puts on another costume - that of rapacious gator - on top of his clown suit. “Crocodile Tears” serves up the head of the reptile on a dish, dagger in hand. (And crocodiles seem to be a favorite, as Jesse Camacho’s avatar scoops out fish from the jaws of a croc in his “For Fame”.)
As it is very pointedly remarked upon by the dead serious Kiko Moran in his almost-fluorescent works, with bold crimson, orange and lemon-yellow colors jumping off his canvasses, the Philippine government is failing in all of its challenges, whether it be that of mainland China (“Carou-Xi”), the pandemic (“Imyunito”), mental health (“Mindfulness”) or hunger (Adolf Eater) - a real circus in itself.
Meanwhile, Bryan Antonio, aka Humbly in his past incarnation, offers a peek from an almost-alien perspective, with his diffuse, wide-eyed critters (“Happy Inside” and “Light in the Darkness”) giving goosebumps to the onlooker. What is it with those otherworldly eyes that gaze at us and make us think that we are the strange ones? Are we, instead, the carnival curiosities?
Gemart Ortega dishes out ‘Melba’, an adorable kid wallowing in sticky ice cream pigtails and Jesse Camacho sculpts an impish apple picker named JackLeQuin (after harlequin, get it?). Kiko Moran, on the other hand, and true to the times, dreams up his ‘Imyunito,’ a just-vaxxed hero with both a hypodermic needle as well as a speech bubble attached. Bryan Antonio gives us, in “Happy Adventure”, one of his famous bootleg toys - a clown, of course!
All of these phantasmagorical yet oh-so-real tests of our sanity would make the most normal of us run to the madhouse. Or better yet, its nearest functioning equivalent, the circus. At least, there, the house of horrors harbors quite ordinary denizens. Or does it?
What a delightful circus to get lost in. So take those clunky shoes off, sit back, and enjoy this roller coaster of a ride.
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