Exhibition

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Arsenal of Trouble

Argie Bandoy

May 19 - June 11, 2016

Gallery 3

There is a certain coherence in Bandoy’s recent suit of works despite the incongruence of imagery. The predominance of grays, blacks, and burgundy tie them all up as a color scheme of a wound in scabs, and swollen flesh from being beaten up. There are biomorphic forms that float on some of them, resembling pulpy tissue carcass or intestines, the figures as B-movie horror characters from giallo and Nazi exploitation flicks, his paintings, hence, the seeming undead, from the oft-pronouncement of their demise time and time again, mockingly reiterating their resurrection, to proselytize on the gospel of painting, which he has made a pronouncement thereof 6 years ago for his exhibit “A Discourse on Bad Taste & Guilty Pleasure “. They follow as such :
Painting is overrated nowadays.
It probably still is, but is also under-rated in what it truly is, and should be.
Painting is Brash and brute and dirty.
And this is its sensuous appeal.
A Bad painting is a good painting.
And should it also be the other way around ?
Painting by manhandling the paint.
For painting is consciousness, as human is solely possessed of it.
5. A good painting only exists in the imagination.
It doesn’t go the way as planned, as usual the case.
6. Painting always asks for more.
I guess that’s where the misunderstanding lie in the disproportionate lack in the viewer.
7. Painting is superficial.
It was always about the surface, that’s hardly scratched by deeper reading into it.
8. Painting demands the painter’s flesh and blood.
And hence, the paintings are bathed and splattered in it.
9. A painter is a delusional being.
He is in his own world.
10. A Painting always contradicts the painter.
And it’s a worthy battle of wills, from two demanding furies.
11. Aiming for Beauty produces unpleasant results.
There you go kitsch and hokey flower paintings.
12. Repulsive is better than playing nice.
Neither was created to please. The idiot is a crowd pleaser.
13. Bad humor is always the best.
There is introspection in tragedy, black comedy sarcastically makes the point.
14. Painting is a cerebral activity.
The brain is a muscle too.
Argie Bandoy was born in 1973 in Manila, Philippines. Upon graduating from the University of the East, College of Fine Arts, Manila, Bandoy established his presence in the local art community as a painter whose nihilistic gestural abstractions and figurations continue to challenge the norm; both in the experiments he did in the painting process, and the philosophical and intellectual discussion brought up by his selection of subject matters and fierce methods of execution. Bandoy’s raw and free-spirited attitude owed its root to the underground music scene and movement; with experimentation, the Beat Boys, Americana hardcore, surf trash, garage and new age philosophy as his influence. Bandoy is a recipient of an artist residency at Big Sky Mind Artists Project Foundation (2004-2005) and TARP, TAKSU KL, Malaysia (Jan-March 2011). Bandoy has participated in several group shows including Freies Museum Berlin, Germany; TATE Modern London, UK; Green Papaya Art Projects, Manila, Philippines; MOP Gallery 1 Sydney, Australia; National Museum, Philippines; Cultural Center of the Philippines; and Hong Kong Cultural Center among others. He had collaborated with critically acclaimed Filipino-American painter Manuel Ocampo for an exhibition at Green Papaya Art Projects entitled ‘Problem with Styles’ (2008). Since 2004 to date, Bandoy has mounted nine solo exhibitions at Mo Space, Manila; Finale Art Gallery, Makati; Nova Gallery, Makati; Mag:net Gallery, Makati City; Pablo Gallery The Fort, and UFO Gallery San Juan, Manila, Philippines. SNUFF: New Paintings by Argie Bandoy, will be his first solo exhibition outside of the Philippines. Bandoy currently lives and works in Manila.