THE SHELF LIFE OF BEING
Buen Abrigo x Marlon Hacla
Buen Abrigo's Pasiyam sa Masaganang Ani and Marlon Hacla's Mga Aparisyon sa Bukid sa Kabilang Ibayo both bring to light pressing concerns of the present regime. The artists have noted that since President Duterte was elected into power in 2016, an overwhelming number of human rights abuses were committed against the marginalized sectors under the pretense of the war on drugs. With the passing of the Anti-Terror Law in 2020, these atrocities seem to have extended against activists who are critical of the administration. Apart from human rights abuses, decade-long conflicts and problems were amplified in the past five years including the lack of agricultural reform, neo-liberal economic policies, miltarization in IP communities and the increasing hold of Chinese imperialism among others.
Buen Abrigo, Pasiyam sa Masaganang Ani, 2021, Assemblage of found scrap wood, burnt Christ figure, fabric, woven buri mat, rice hull, video work
Buen Abrigo received training in painting from the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine Arts. He was one of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artists grantees in 2015, and was shortlisted for the Ateneo Art Awards in 2016.
He went into being an active member of AlaySining, an organization of artists from college with advocacies of teaching and promoting Arts as Social Practice extended outside the academic setting. He is active in organizing informal educational discussions, art-related activities and events in urban poor settlements in Manila along with some of his artist and activist colleagues. He then joined the Ugatlahi Artists Collective in 2011 for a short period during Aquino's presidential term.
Marlon Hacla is a programmer, writer, and photographer. His first book, May Mga Dumadaang Anghel sa Parang (NCCA, 2010), was published as part of UBOD New Authors Series II. His second book, Glossolalia, was published by High Chair in 2013. He also released two self-published chapbooks, LABING-ANIM NA LIHAM NG KATAKSILAN and Melismas. In 2017, he created the first robot poet in Filipino, Estela Vadal, as a Twitter bot with the Twitter handle @estelavadal.
Marlon Hacla, Mga Aparisyon sa Bukid sa Kabilang Ibayo, 2021, Running time: 600secs
Installation view. Buen Abrigo's Pasiyam sa Masaganang Ani and Marlon Hacla's Mga Aparisyon sa Bukid sa Kabilang Ibayo
Installation view. Installation view. Buen Abrigo's Pasiyam sa Masaganang Ani and Marlon Hacla's Mga Aparisyon sa Bukid sa Kabilang Ibayo