Joar Songcuya brings back his nautical art to Manila
By John Legaspi
The Ilonggo seafarer-artist continues to present his sailor’s life with ‘The Sea Is Not A Quiet Place’ exhibit
Following the success of “The History of Water” and “Atlantiko, Pasipiko, Artiko” exhibits, self-taught artist and seafarer Joar Songcuya continues his mission of presenting his mariner’s life to the local arts community as he goes back to Manila with his latest exhibition at Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea in San Antonio, Makati City.
Dubbed “The Sea Is Not A Quiet Place,” his newest showcase brings what critics love about his previous works and more, spotlighting his personal experience traversing seas and oceans and what they are to him during his journey.
“The setting is still the same—water world. But the only difference is how the sea or the water world is presented,” the artist tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “In my previous exhibitions, my works are rooted in the character of the natural element, the sea or the ocean in general. While on this recent exhibition, I kind of started to get in touch with the human element, the connection of the water with the people, and how the environment shapes a man’s view of himself and the world. ‘The Sea Is Not A Quiet Place’ is a continuing series of works from my sailing narrative but I feel that this is more direct and raw—stronger works in terms of concept, brushwork, and use of color.”
Curated by Ricky Francisco, the exhibit demonstrated the artist’s new creative prowess. He is in bringing in influences from famous artists like William Turner and Van Gogh in his works with his luminous depiction of the waves and human illustrations a la Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis, sans the erotic element, as noted by Remigio I. David, artistic director of Altro Mondo.
“In this exhibition, they'll see the directness of the sea through my paintings—the violent waves, darkening clouds, tidal waves, the explosion of water, tension among men and himself,” Joar says. “There is also an installation and a short video presented at the exhibition to provide as additional material. A presentation of the noises that take place in the middle of the sea, both the external and internal noises of a man and the sea.”
Is it the unquietness and turbulence of a man that makes the roughness of the sea? Or is it nature’s mighty temperament that makes the man in a deeper examination of himself and the world he belongs to? Those are the questions Joar tries to uncover through the exhibit. With the title “The Sea Is Not A Quiet Place,” the exhibit is expected to make not just a splash, but ignite a sense of anxiety, longingness, and desire felt by seafarers to the viewers.
“My goal is to present a new perspective or impression of the sea. Why is the sea unquiet and how does a man’s perception or view of the natural world affect him and his surroundings,” he continues. “I want the pieces to provide questions and, at the same time, answers that are uncomplicated and free. I want the viewer to connect with the piece and see for themselves what kind of unquietness is present, whether the work’s imagery is purely personal or only familiar to me, I hope to bring the viewer to a new place, the water world, a porthole to the world of men at sea.”
“The Sea Is Not A Quiet Place” runs until Feb. 5, 2022 at Altro Mondo Arte Contemporanea gallery. Visit @altromondoart on Instagram to know how you can book your appointment.