| 11.19.2019 – Contemporary art is subjective but if you put a pre-existing subject and reinterpreted by a visual artist’s perspective it defines the character in a new light such as this past Sunday’s collaboration with Secret Fresh and Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob, which celebrated the character’s 20th Anniversary.
The plethora of diverse reinterpretation of SpongeBob by 21 artists will give you a fresh perspective of the character that has been around for 20 years. The reveal of 21 art toys accompanied by individual paintings definitely gives you a look of SpongeBob in a different light celebrating the hero of Bikini Bottom. |
SpongeBob SquarePants holds a special place to anyone who grew up watching the character’s adventure with his friends. Even those who have become parents share their fond memories of the spongiest hero from Bikini Bottom with their kids. The character transcends through different cultures reinterpreted in a different perspective and that’s how it was present in last Sunday’s special group art show at Secret Fresh.
Twenty One artists gathered together using the same SpongeBob sculpture casted in resin to bring their vision of SpongeBob that defined popular culture. It is also the spotlight for each artist to share their unique brand of art style and aesthetics into the character giving an overall presentation.
The lists of artists that were given a ‘blank’ SpongeBob resin sculpture can be seen below that were present in the launch:
Nemo Aguila
Aiya Balingit
Ronson Culibrina
Egg Fiasco
Doktor Karayom
Tyang Karyel
Tiffany Lafuente
Romeo Lee
John Marin
Pow Marin
Distort Monsters
Epjey Pacheco
JP Pining
Syn
Tripp63
Yani Unsana
Clairelynn Uy
Olan Ventura
Bryan Yabut
JJ Zamoranos
DJ Bigboy Cheng
At the fourth level of the Ronac ART Center dubbed “The Deck” is where you can find the featured gallery. When you enter the venue there’s a splash of bright yellow and people scribbling on the blackboard wall about the character putting their insight on SpongeBob as well as his friend like Patrick Star and Squidward. There were drinks served and Exclusive Nagaraya peanuts with DJ Big Boy Cheng’s “Big Boy’s Nuts” branding with flavors that are not available in local supermarkets that were given away. Not to forget there was an ice cream vendor they hired giving away three flavors in cone or cup. It was a celebration like no other that had a diverse group of people going in and out of the gallery.
It was an inclusive event that welcomed everyone that knows SpongeBob SquarePants and appreciates contemporary art mashing two worlds together. At one part of the gallery Repent was there offering free service to clean your sneakers, which is also selling an exclusive SpongeBob kit.
The Art Toy is paired with each painting reinterpreted by each artist with DJ Big Boy’s presentation at the entrance to the art section of the gallery. There you’ll find a canvas depicting SpongeBob as soldier aka “Komang” SpongeBob a Filipino (Tagalog street slang for “Commander”) and beside it is a metallic gold version of the character surrounded with A LOT of sponge on a plastic wheelbarrow.
It is quite a view of the side of the gallery from one end to another, but before you enter the glass entrance beside DJ Big Boy Cheng’s creation is a diamond encrusted SpongeBob by Clairelynn Uy. She happens to share the process how this interpretation of SpongeBob came together and took her a month and half, which she worked on eight hours a day.
This was the only sculpture that did not have a painting paired with, but she did another one in metallic colors that had a canvas painting. She shares it was challenging at the same time worth the effort to put together her masterpiece for this show. She was enjoying every moment of this event with her contemporaries. Among the eye catching works that has surreal details are from Doktor Karayom, Tyang Karyel and Tripp63. There was so much work done in each sculpture that everyone stood out in their unique perspective. Bryan Yabut, Newmo Aguila, JP Pining, and Distort Monster were the favorites to with their street art sensibilities applying it to the SpongeBob art toy gives a different look that is unique for the character
Truly, everyone who participated in this group art show delivered a masterful creation that will be exhibited in the US once this show wraps up. Most of the Art Toys and Painting will be making the rounds in the US as announced during the unveiling of the SpongeBob resin art toy back in July.
“SpongeBob + Secret Fresh” Group Art Show is now on exhibited from 14-29 November 2019 at the 4/F “The Deck” in Ronac ART Center. For more about the next art shows follow Secret Fresh on social media via Facebook and Instagram!
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