Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event

An Exhibit by Eleanor Giron x Isobel Francisco

June 18 – 30, 2016

Opens
Saturday, June 18 at 6 PM

J Studio, Taguig
Unit 604, 6th Level VFP2 Building, Veteran’s Road, Taguig, Philippines

For inquiries, contact the gallery at: 09178991015

ON ENDINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS:

Confronting the ghosts of an imagined future

There are few things in life as daunting as confronting what was, and what could have been; Facing the harsh realities of disappointment and seeing the transformation of meaningful memories into distant and archived stories of the past can be formidable. Perhaps most challenging is letting go of the ghosts of an imagined future. Doing so requires a certain level of boldness, daring and authenticity – the very qualities that drove the most recent collaboration of ISOBEL FRANCISCO and ELEANOR GIRON.

In this show, two souls undergo a catharsis by taking the necessary initiative in dealing with the memories that allude to the lost connection between them and other people. Through their individual collections memory here takes on the role of a double-edged sword — on one hand, they are the cause of the pain, and on the other, they are a vehicle for healing and rebirth. Within their intimate strokes, FRANCISCO and GIRON repurpose memories and use it as antidote in itself.
As both women reflect upon the universal and collective effect of disrupted bonds and sudden breaks from emotional dependence in the context and from the springboard of their own individual experiences, they began their confrontation with the experience through a cathartic collection that displays both their stunning technical skills and most personal insights.

The Tree

In order to cultivate its growth, it is often necessary for trees to remove branches and discard limbs hampering its development; Such is the natural and organic part of evolution, and a vital component of its genetic make-up driven by its will to survive. In her collection, Isobel Francisco sheds light on the permanent scars of doing so, and how such sad truths will be forever imprinted upon the very rings that tell of the trunk’s story.

Delving deep into the devolution of a partnership, she contemplates on the difficulty of moving forward in the face of the inevitable and maintaining authenticity to one’s self, by presenting the resulting aftermath. Francisco’s latest series captures personal destructions, depicted metaphorically, to create a visual narrative of the process of dehumanization that happens when one person loses a deep connection or emotional investment with another.

In her collection, she celebrates the consciousness inside of her that exists beyond the pain and suffering. As a gesture of acknowledging the consciousness inside of her that exists in a suspended state of damage, it also serves as a reminder that it is time to redress a wound.

The Phoenix

Rebirth preoccupies Eleanor Giron’s collection, which feature moving self-portraits in her most vulnerable state. As she reflects on the nakedness of the body, soul and spirit shared with a previous lover, she shares the destructive toll of ill-fated encounters.

Her work commands attention, and its power to do so lies on how the references for the pieces serve as recreations of tangible evidences. Her canvases represent images snapped by a lover, in different states and situations, speaking of a violation not of a physical variety but in an emotional and spiritual sense.

Giron frames her creative process through her distinct method of self-documentation. As she presents these images with a veritable sense of detachment, she is able to observe the most poignant moments in her life through a third-party persona. In this distance and recreation, the attachment is further severed, losing its potency and power of her thoughts despite the image remaining stagnant and frozen. The healing and catharsis in her collection lies in her blatant and unabashed self-exposure, a drastic move that serves as a fitting remedy to address the high levels of toxicity in the relationship.

She rises as a phoenix from the burnt ashes of the photographs that had once held so much meaning. As she dies unto her former self, she looks towards the infinite possibilities on the horizon.

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” — Haruki Murakami