300 sculptures line up in CCP
Artist Doktor Karayom presented the horrors of waiting in line through his exhibition titled ‘Linya’, featuring three hundred sculptures lined up in one shelf at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
The exhibit, which opened in collaboration with Secret Fresh art gallery on Wednesday, displayed 300 different figurines of acrylic and spray paint on resin lined up in a shelf at Pasilyo Vicente Manansala in CCP.
‘Linya’ is meant to question and symbolize the inevitability of having to wait in line as a norm in the Philippines.
“Sa bansa natin, kahit saang lugar ‘di naman nawawala yung pila ‘di ba?” the artist said in an interview. “’Pag labas mo ng bahay niyo ganun pa rin, pipila ka pa, pipila ka pa rin bago ka makapunta sa pupuntahan. Kahit na ayaw mo mapapa-pila ka talaga.”
The artist, whose real name is Russel Trinidad, had created one sculpture to represent himself in the exhibit. This sculpture was the last one in line, a figurine with long shaggy hair wearing only underpants.
“Sabihin natin na, lagi nalang ako nasa dulo ng linya. Kailan ba ako makakausad?” said Trinidad. “Makausad ka man, nasa unahan ka man, pero may linya pa rin. May mga nasa likuran mo pa rin so paikot, parang cycle lang.”
Trinidad coined the name ‘Doktor Karayom’ to characterize his courageous side.
“‘Pag normal, mahiyain ako,” Trinidad said. “Lumabas [si Doktor Karayom] sa tapang. Siya yung tapang ko sa loob. ‘Pag kailangan ng tapang tinatawag ko siya and then siya yung humaharap, gumagawa ng mga bagay bagay.”
The CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division saw potential in Trinidad for the uniqueness of his work, said their officer-in-charge Rica Estrada.
“We haven't seen any other artist with a similar type of work,” Estrada said. “His concept was very interesting.”
‘Linya’ was a venue grant proposal sent in 2015 that was selected among more than sixty other proposals. The exhibit runs until November 20 in Pasilyo Vicento Manansala or the second floor halfway gallery in CCP.###
