18 June - 18 July 2024
Serendipity Flukes: The Kutkotan Diaries
Elmer I. Nocheseda
Curated by J. Sedfrey Santiago
“What astonishes me is that these works were done during the onset of Nocheseda’s Parkinson’s disease. This condition started with minor inconveniences until the degenerative state that he continues to grapple with. But Nocheseda persists with his artmaking, and ‘each stroke of the pen,’ he says, ‘becomes a testament to the fragility of existence and the transformative power of surrender.’ And in the midst of this existential turmoil, he finds solace in the realization that even in the darkest moments, there exists a glimmer of divine grace that leads him to the joy of finding his serendipity flukes.”
About the artist
Elmer I. Nocheseda (b.1960) is a remorseless soul whose passion lies in documenting and preserving the rich range of Filipino cultural heritage. “We cannot love what we do not know” is his dictum. Slowed down only by the unsettling bouts of Parkinson’s, Elmer still tries to keep busy as he continues serving his passion. As an independent scholar, Elmer has authored journal articles and books on valuable subjects that have not been given the attention they deserve. His first book “Palaspas: An Appreciation of Palm Leaf Art in the Philippines,” published by the Ateneo University Press in 2010, reaped several awards and recognition, including the National Book Award, Gintong Aklat Award, and the Cardinal Sin Emerging Author Award. It is now considered a classic. Another title he authored, “Rara. The Art and Tradition of Mat Weaving in the Philippines,” which gives us a complete experience of mat making, was published in 2016 by Habi, The Philippine Textile Council, and the Museum Foundation
As an intermittent food writer, four of his essays won top recognition from the annual Doreen G. Fernandez Food Writing Award. His last essay, “The Other Thing called Luto ng Dios”, relates how food and sex are inextricably linked. A certified hoarder of anything and everything Filipino, like salacot, mats, baskets, and handwoven fabrics, he is now beginning a collection of Philippine indigenous embroidery, which will be the subject of his forthcoming book. Elmer’s salacot collection once filled their house staircase to the brim and served as a tourist spot for a UP professor who brought his entire class to see them. But he decided to give them all away when his wife threatened him beyond reasonable doubt that she would hang him with his collection if he brought home another salacot. However, his life is not just about his achievements and collections. He is happily married to Naomi, a dedicated pediatrician, and they are blessed with three children: Pocholo, Patricia, and Pamela. Born and raised in Pateros, where he still lives, Elmer cherishes his home and family. He often says he will pass on to the great beyond in his beloved Pateros, a testament to his deep-rooted love for his hometown.
About the curator
J. Sedfrey S. Santiago is a lawyer by education and an art enthusiast by inclination. He is an Associate Professor in the Marketing and Law Department of the John Gokongwei School of Management, Ateneo de Manila University where he mainly teaches corporation law. He is a shared faculty with the Department of Fine Arts (DFA) where he teaches “The Creative Professional,” a required subject for all Fine Arts majors, “Art Appreciation,” that he approaches mainly from the perspective of an art collector, and “Art and Business,” which he developed for the DFA. In addition to teaching, he does research and has published mainly with the Ateneo de Manila University Press. His latest book is “The Art of Collecting: A Guide to the Philippine Market” (2020). He is a fledgling curator, starting only in 2022, with the exhibit of award-winning fashion designer/artist Steve de Leon entitled “Stitching Faith and Fashion” at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) glass gallery.
Selected Works from Serendipity Flukes: The Kutkotan Diaries
