By Hannah Jo Uy Images by Pinggot Zulueta Emerging from the urban jungle and idyllic countryside of the Philippines is a humble and often overlooked icon—the jeepney. Each jeepney is a fingerprint, unique and individual, of the person, or family, which owns it, revealing both the warmth and pragmatism of the Filipino, in addition to a resilience of a people owing communal inclinations. Edwin Wilwayco weaves this into a stunning, sophisticated visual narrative in his latest show, “Jeepney Sinfonia,” which reveals new and fascinating dimensions of two icons—the jeepney and the artist himself, being one of the most distinguished abstractionists that shape Philippine modern art today. Wilwayco’s fascination with the jeepney started early on. “The jeepney captured my imagination,” he said, “being a Filipino icon, as insistently a part of our life as an ice cream cone, taho, or pork barbecue on the pavement.” He integrated this interest in the jeepney to his fine art background, following his studies and education from abroad, thus blending an art movement that’s gaining strong traction in the west, with something deeply Pinoy. Wilwayco first publicly revealed his sophisticated elevation of this underappreciated object, often associated with the masses, at a show in 1989. “‘Jeepney Fantasia’ at the old Ayala Museum,” Wilwayco said, “was more of a deconstruction of the whole parts of the jeepney. At the time, a jazzy feel. A fragment of a steering wheel, colourful mini-altars, or those tin horses, which are the pride of many macho jeepney drivers,” he adds with a laugh. Years later, when Wilwayco once again had the inkling to revisit this great Filipino icon, he said that he was determined to make it different from his previous show, looking to unveil another layer and develop greater depth in his approach. “ make it dance,” Wilwayco said, “like in an imaginary speed; celebratory, symphonic. I imagined jeepneys coming out of the garage at night, without the drivers, dancing to the music. Jeepneys leaping like a koi as it weaved between cars and pedestrians in the congested concrete tributaries of Manila roads. Jeepneys—driverless—as they become animated after dark, at sunrise, sunset, or even in the forest. I’m more fascinated this time with the side view of the jeepney, as it gives appreciation of the movement, a Pinoy neo-expressionism perhaps.” These reflections on a new direction eventually culminated in “Jeepney Sinfonia” hosted at the Manila House in Bonifacio Global City. Wilwayco’s revisiting of this subject matter, as far back as 2016, was timely given than there were talks that the government was planning to phase-out the public transportation vehicle. In this collection, however, we see Wilwayco integrate another vital component of his process to this exercise: music. “Music will always be a part of my creative process,” he said. “It’s hard for me to paint without it.” Putting himself, so to speak, in the driver seat, Wilwayco also touched on how drivers make music a part of their daily working life. “As most know, jeepney drivers favor listening to rock or pop,” he said, “but for me the focus is on its symphonic feel.” Thus Wilwayco immersed himself in Mozart’s early scores throughout the creation of this collection, in addition to Yo-Yo Ma’s first holiday album Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace. “Taking the jeepney as a motif is now usually equated with my search for roots,” Wilwayco said, “To the urbanized Pinoys, our jeepney has become as valid a symbol as the bahay kubo was to the pastoral era of Amorsolo. I think it is only incidentally an emblem of the Pinoy sensibility or an indication of our roots.” Attuned to even the most common objects within the urban landscape, this artist repurposes and elevates his subject matter while maintaining its soul and what it means for his countrymen. This ability to embrace change while remaining rooted in the past also extends to his views on the development of the national art scene—one that he has contributed to significantly over the years. “The Filipino art or artist has evolved immensely through the years,” he said, sharing his optimism and pride at the trajectory of regional Philippine artists. “With greater exposure to travels, interactions with different artists visiting our country, Filipino artists are experimenting with different forms and media. I think Filipino artists are the best in the region.”