Displaying Historic Weaponry

Cris Villanueva Jr.

Curated by Nilo Ilarde

July 24 – August 21 , 2021

Modeka Art | Ground Floor
20A La Fuerza Plaza 1, 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, 1231 Makati

The pen is regarded as a weapon in the pages of history. Apropos to that, we also discovered that drawings were made inside caves. These markings are annals of prehistoric humans, survivors who roamed this planet and from whom we derived our blood and game. These images bear these agreed upon meanings that made communication facile for early humans. Comparable to ancient graffito in Rome and the Hobo Code of the freight-hoppers of the great depression, these symbols act as a journal, self-expression, warning signs, protest and defiance, territorial markings, or even half-witted vandalism; all are powerful tools of conveyance.

Cris Villanueva Jr.’s Displaying Historic Weaponry is an emulation of those scratches, of those markings; a protraction of our primordial urge to be heard and understood. Holding to a belief that stories and ideas can destroy even the mightiest of forts, he mouths: Paintings are Weapons. Villanueva unveils his stash amongst us.

His work ‘Each Day has a Color, a Smell” is a glimpse of the odd mixtures of his seemingly contrasting techniques. Following recognizable imprints of movements — Hand Jive is mimicry of complicated patterns of hand moves and claps coming from parts of the body, imitating the playing of percussion. A medley of lines, patterns, dots, scratches, splashes, jabs, taps, and imperfections mapped during the conception of the work that will only appear where the artist chooses. He discovers subsequent lines for his next markings as he goes along, this oeuvre, a blues album full of jagged improvisation.

Lined concurrently with “Each Day has a color, a smell” is the work “Daily Impulse”, reminiscent of a color library, which is a 33-piece work whose colors match the lines and dots of the former. The work reminds you of all familiar musical notes in your head ready to be harmonized into a melody, then a song.

Villanueva’s opus contains wails of disbelief for the past, secret messages for the present and subtle warnings for the future; A wolf’s howl to the pack.

Words by Miles Villanueva