Jeho Bitancor

Farewell to Empire
by: Riel Jaramillo Hilario

Visual artist Jeho Bitancor turns to the medium and language of installation in this recent exhibition, New Works. The artist is noted for his paintings which predominantly expressed progressive leanings and a visually transcribed criticism of imperialist/capitalist excesses and their subsequent roles as the harbingers of greed and decadence in comtemporary Philippine society. He participated in some activist artist groups, in the late 80's to early 90's, notably with ABAY and Sanggawa. This installation echoes the critical themes contra imperialism explored by the artist in his previous paintings. Though the present work's use of medium brings home more direct and poignant points with such ferocity and immediacy - characteristics often rare in the vicarious and theatrical domain of painting.

Bitancor's installation derives much of its elements from appropriations of Christian imagery, more specifically from the Holy Passion: cruciform placements, the deposition ladder, ashes and blood, wine and host. Ironically Bitancor does not make references to the redemptive message of the Passion, but uses the imagery to describe (or prophesy) an event, namely the death of Empire, the world of rapacious greed of the Imperio-Capitalist. As such, the artist assumes the posture of an apocalyptic prophet hurling forth words of anthema to an abominable beast with cracked feet of clay.

the central portion of the installation is marked with an assemblage reminiscent of the Deposition. Scattered on the floor are cinders whose placement evokes a recent conflagration that has scorched a golden ladder. The remains of a singed business suit hang near the top rungs of the ladder and from here proceeds transparent hoses, like IV lines of blood tap sources of precious life from the pages of the books, composed in the form of a cross on a painted red wall. At the foot of the ladder are seedlings, ever reliable symbols of hope in death fields. Bitancor's hits point-blank that the lifelines of late imperialist capitalism are materialist philosophies and sciences wrangled from their true contexts. Thus texts from Darwinism, laissez faire economics, Nietzschean Ubermensch (superman), theocracy, utilitarianism among others become the apologetics to the rapacious, apathetic and juggernaut killing and consumption of this modern monster. Thus the work evinces ideology as the black soul of the Empire, its only source of existence and nourishment.

In other aspects of the piece, Bitancor decries efforts to resurrect the dying monster. Books, as symbols of nascent ideology, are piled up to support yet another ladder that leads to the top of the social pyramid, where power, influence, money and truth are dispensed with god-like omnipotence. (To the top, is where they want to go, climbing the rungs of wanton consumption and patronage politics.) From a tomb-like installation on one side of the gallery emerge the dark shrouded shapes of a man. It is a parody of imminent rebirth, much more closer to the reanimation of a zombie, on its way up to pillage once more the realm of the living.

Bitancor seems to have constructed a memento mori to late-stage capitalism, exposing its imperialist viscera and to some extent its colonialist tentacles. the work recalls the installations of a shaman whose rituals need to illustrate magically, the death of an enemy, or the subjugation of a malevolent deity for healing to occur. For the enemy might resuscitate, gain strength to attack and ravage the hero and oppress the people. The artist's work then pleads us to pay attention to the workings of ideology and its presence in society.

Kulay-Diwa Gallery of Philippine Contemporary Art is a privately owned venue for artistic expression. It is strategically located within a cluster of progressive communities South of Manila. It has an independent exhibition area able to accommodate large-scale works, and a spacious garden ideal for outdoor programs, performances and sculpture installations.

Goals of Kulay-Diwa

To discover and promote the works of talented, young and deserving Filipino Artist;

To serve as a cultural outpost and make the arts more accessible to the fast-growing communities South of Manila; and

To foster cultural interaction and exchanges with the local regions and other countries.

Kulay(Color)

Diwa(Spirit, Thought)





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