by Leonard
I admit, Tito Len is not always the best shot, but hey -- I'm no Alex Felipe.
In fact, there aren't many like Alex Felipe inside or outside of our community. In a technological era where affordable DSLR cameras are leading to the democratization of photography, even skilled shutterbugs are becoming a dime a dozen. Despite this, Alex Felipe remains relevant.
The Kilusan Exchange @Rolly's Garage 124 Ossington, just above Queen
May 15 – 23, 2009 Weekday Gallery hours: 3PM – 8PM
Alex's work is on display this week at Rolly's Garage as part of the Kilusan Collective Exhibit/Exchange. In March, he was part of a traveling contingent of Toronto-based artists who found themselves in Manila, Philippines with the challenge of producing art based on the experience there. This week's exhibit culminates in a presentation by Manila-based Artist Carlos Celdran, whose show "If These Walls Could Talk" (May 22 & 23) will fulfill on the promise of the 'exchange'.
I won't give away the details surrounding Alex's piece because you should really go check it out yourself, but if you really need a clue: you probably ate it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all of the above yesterday.
Photographer/Journalist Jozef Gross said, "I profoundly believe that a photographer worthy of the name is first and foremost a human being, a person deeply concerned with the human predicament."
If you've seen Alex's work you'll agree that his skill behind the lens is undoubtable. More often than not, its the subject matter that hits straight to the heart and we appreciate more than anything else, the fact that Alex "went there" and "took that picture". At times, it is places and situations where we would NEVER otherwise find ourselves: a remote town where mining has decimated livelihood, youth prisons in deepest Tondo, Manila... and for some of us, the most foreign of locations: our very own local Filipino Day picnic.
In a place and age where daily life allows us to conveniently forget the stories of our land of origin, Alex Felipe's work provides a safe window to look into while challenging us to ask ourselves the question,
"What can you do?"
Alex Felipe: Kilusan Collective Artist.
—-The Details—-
TORONTO, MEET MANILA, MANILA, MEET TORONTO…
May 15 – 23, 2009 Weekday Gallery hours: 3PM – 8PM
Five artists. Two cities. One crazy exchange.
{ Alex Felipe }{ Ilona Fiddy }{ Jeff Garcia }{ Jennifer Maramba}{Tiffany Naval Jr}
with special international guest artist: { Carlos Celdran }
What happens when you take a group of Canadian-born Filipino artists and throw them across the ocean to go face-to-face with the land that they were raised by, but never knew?
THE PURPOSE Explore the story to be told of having one identity rooted in two cultures
THE PROCESS A trip to the Philippine metropolis of Manila An intense exchange with Carlos Celdran, the dubbed “Pied Piper of Manila” And the integration of it all back into the Canadian metropolis of Toronto
THE RESULT A multimedia & multi-perspective cultural art show-of-sorts.
May 15 – 23, 2009 Weekday Gallery hours: 3PM – 8PM
STARTING TOMORROW!! May 22 & 23, 8PM : Spoken word, multi-media rendition of famous Intramuros tour by Carlos Celdran