Pete Jimenez knows no limits when putting together masterpieces out of discarded materials, as he does when playing with words to come up with a catchy title for the exhibit. He calls his latest series, Metal Mettle, which curiously came to mind only after he finished all the pieces.
On view are four, large, wall-bound works and one that stands on its own. Jimenez said he chose to present fewer but larger works this time around because it was more challenging to deal with the physicality of handling such heavy, space-consuming materials such as discarded metal sheets used in cars. He knew he had to be extremely patient while waiting to see his vision unfold. “During the creative process, I was braver, or more courageous in putting the larger parts of the pieces together.” The show will be featuring larger works, but the way the different, unrelated parts or pieces were assembled together in order to come up with entirely new, more creative pieces remain the same, Jimenez adds.
“Paru-Parong Bukid” is a large wall piece made from two Volkswagen Beetle hoods joined together by two Volkswagen steel bumpers. A side-view mirror and a small glass window were added to form the antennae of a giant moth or butterfly. Its “wing span” is 9 feet long, and its height is almost 6 feet.
“Facial” is another large wall piece (5’ x 4’) out of a hood of a Volkswagen Beetle. It is Jimenez’s commentary on today’s mania to turn to dermatology and cosmetic surgery. It presents a face with spots of brown, green, and red. It has bent and rusted strips of metal bumpers for eyes and a lengthy coiled spring for a nose.
“Flower Power” is 7 feet high and 8 feet long. It is made from a 13-piece backrest of what used to be vintage wrought iron garden chairs and metal window grills, all welded together onto a metal kalesa wheel.
“Kurot sa Puso” (4’ x 3’) is made from metal sheets that were used as ‘’backstoppers” inside a shooting range. Bullet holes and natural textures punctured by the various ammunitions fired onto the metal sheets, as well as the natural rust finish, add character to the piece.
“Kukurtunahin” is the only freestanding piece that is 8 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. It is made out of hoods, fenders, and doors of a 1969 Ford Cortina of Jimenez’s father.
With Metal Mettle, Jimenez proves he is capable of working with much larger materials, and dreams of putting together a large public art piece. “I hope to challenge the way people look at sculptures.”
