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Memories from a Nightmare
Dear Michael. I know that you are a talented self taught digital mixed media artist, but I’m curious to get to know more about your background, and moreover how, when and why you started creating art - in specific digital photographic manipulated art? I was born in Manila in 1986. I’m of a mixed heritage – American, Filipino and Spanish. My family, they are artists, from my mother who is a singer, a talented dancer, my sister who is a ballerina and my brother who is a 3d animator at Weta Digital in New Zealand. I used to make a lot of drawings when I was younger, I was very inspired by medieval fantasy especially wizards, nightmarish creatures to magical animals. When I got my first guitar when I was 17, I became addicted to creating music. I formed a band and we used to make punk covers and sometimes we made our own music. I got my first DSLR when I was 21. I was very excited about this because a year before this happened, I wished so bad to buy a DSLR but I never had the money! I got it as a gift and since then I’ve been trying to learn and educate myself in photography. A few months later, I saw for the first-time, a photo-manipulation on the internet. I got so inspired that I decided to learn this so, I looked up some tutorials on the internet and practiced and practiced. Back then, I used to have a 9-5 job English teaching job and when I get home I made some photo-manipulations every night and I started applying to open calls from around the world and then I started sending applications to galleries to my country. I gave up my job and focused my time on marketing myself and applying to open calls and also on finding freelance jobs.
The Earth room
Are you able to live solely from your art or do you have a profession besides being an artist? For the past 2 years, I’ve been living solely from my art. I freelance as a graphic designer; I usually do album covers and book covers and sometimes I write Photoshop tutorials.
Dear Mael, you have had many solo and group exhibitions. Are you therefore assigned to a specific gallery at this moment or do you participate in different exhibitions at various galleries without an assignment to only one gallery? I participate in different exhibitions at various galleries, with this, I get more exposure!
Furthermore, what memorable responses have you had to your work at the exhibitions? What has the publics reaction to your work been? The best so far was at the my recent at the Museum of Fine Arts in Tbilisi, Georgia, there were several students and people who came to me and whispered that my art is the best from the rest of the other works.
In Accommodating Parallel Cultures
The Unending Harbor of the Spiritualist
You have experimented with other forms of artistic genres before using the photographic medium to express yourself artistically. Has your artistic expression always been the same regardless of the artistic medium used, or has your artistic expression and style changed too over the years as part of your experimental process? Marie, I think that my artistic expression has been circling around similar themes for the past few years but when it comes to my style, especially in photo-manipulation, I believe that it has changed dramatically since I started; I constantly try to evolve and be better in my medium.
A Time Traveler’s Dream
There are a lot of digital art on the market these days. Therefore, what do you do in order to differentiate yours from the rest? Yes, there are so much amazing digital art out there, and some just leaves me mind-blown! So, in order to differentiate my works from the rest, I stick to my own style by expressing the emotions, and thoughts that I really want to express.
The Antennas to Heaven
What has been the biggest challenge and best experience in your artistic career so far? The biggest challenge I had to undergo in my artistic career is getting funds for travelling to the various artist residences and major exhibitions that I have attended. The best experience so far is to be actually in the artist-in-residences and to the exhibitions and get much praise and warmth from people around the world.
When using Photoshop, what are your favorite features in the program and which version of Photoshop do you use? Well, I love the Lasso Tools and the Lighting Effects Render Tool.
Which photographic equipment do you use? For 2 years, I used the Canon EOS 300d, but now I upgraded to a Canon EOS 500d, because I want to make finer pictures, I want it to be easier and I wanted to start making video art as well. I also have an RC for the 500d, a tripod, and a Nissin flash.
In Understanding the Relevance II
Intimate Delusions
Do you solely use your own images in your creative process or do you also use stock pictures bought from the Internet - or perhaps a combination? Marie, I use a combination, the reason why is, for example, a client wants me to use a beautiful blonde Caucasian woman for their image and I am staying in Manila, so I think it is impossible to find this kind of woman. :P So, I resort to stock images for this situation, but most of the time I use combination.
While you were smiling
What or who inspires you when creating art? Are there other artists you relate to or consult with in your creative process when you experiment with new artistic ideas? My main inspiration in making art is emotions; music also plays a big role because the emotions differ from each track I listen to. I usually bounce ideas and ask criticisms on my art from a good friend of mine – Izabela Oldak.
What is your creative workflow when creating a piece? (do you make any kind of research, sketches, drawings, etc. before creating your art? Do you carefully plan each image before a photo shoot/start working in Photoshop with an image or do you have a general idea that you work from?) I have made images by doing some research, and then sketch some ideas but sometimes I just sit in front of my computer after a good meal and start making art from my own and the stock photos in my computer. Most of the time, I have music on.use combination.
I could not imagine a life without music because it can evoke various and contrasting emotions, and I therefore always listen to music when I’m creating a new piece of art. I already know that you are very inspired by emotional differences in life - but are you too inspired by and listening to music when you are creative? If yes, what type of music? Aha! Yes, indeed Marie! I listen to a lot of types of music; I would listen to genres from trip-hop to indie, post-rock to world music, house to lounge to dark techno.
How long time do you spend to create an art piece in average? It varies sometimes it takes like 6 hours sometimes it would take days.
The Dream Walker
Your works are very surreal and remind me of an unreal dream. Sometimes your pictures are very simple - almost minimalistic - in their composition, other times they contains several details. Some of your art works emphasize the feeling of obscurity, loneliness and eternity, while others give associations to happiness and carelessness. Your pictures vary immensely which therefore makes them even more interesting for the viewer to study closely. But Michael, do you have certain themes and ideas that you pursue in your art? Do your art works contain specific symbols (I have noticed that specific objects are used repeatedly in your works)? What is your goal when creating art? Yes, I have certain themes that I repeatedly pursue and that is the search of happiness, freedom as well as the dilemmas we have to go through in the journey. Most of the objects I use repeatedly are representations of the emotions and sentiments I feel. I may seem like a very melancholic person but I’m different in real, I think. I make these artworks because I love the feeling of melancholy and sentimental emotions. It feels good. My goal is simply to create something thought provoking, mind bending and something that once you stare at, it will remain in your head for some time. The Boy Who Flew in a Boat
The Architect and the Engineer
The Fish Tales
How do you select models, animals and objects for your images? Hmm, how do I explain this? I select them depending on the image quality, the pose of the model (object or animal), and also sometimes the lighting on the image.
Are you using the same models repeatedly and do you know your models in advance before a photo shoot? Sometimes, I repeat the same models; I do try to talk to them first before doing a shoot.
Do you maybe even use yourself as a model in your images - if yes, why? I have never done that before, but I think I would like to try it someday to use myself as the model.
Furthermore, how do you get your models to perform the positions that you have in mind? I make sketches of what I want to see in my image and then from there I demonstrate the pose to them.
The Machinations of the Perturbed One
The First Day
Personally, I have experience that my own images have been analyzed in very different ways depending on viewer - and a few times the analysis of my images do not correspond with the ideas I originally had with the pictures. Have you ever experienced an analysis in an art review of your pictures that you couldn’t relate to - and do you even care about the various interpretations of your art? Yes, I have a lot of these experiences as well and I get surprised sometimes that they had such views and analysis on my images. I respect it though and I try to study my images according to their views and yes I think sometimes I see their point.
Have you ever tried to work together with other artists and create collaborative art projects? Yes, I have tried this before but most of the artists I want to collaborate with are not near my country and it has always been difficult.
Do you have a new series of images in mind for the future? There’s none at the moment because at present, I’m trying to put time in studying portrait photography and street photography which has been a huge interest for me lately.
Do you have a favorite personal art piece? If the question means, a favorite piece from my portfolio then I would say “The Story Teller�.
The Story Teller II
Which art piece has been the most difficult for you to create? I had difficulty in making the “In Undermining the Rising City� image.
Michael, you live in Tbilisi, Georgia - for me that sounds incredible fascinating because I have never been there myself. How is the art scene in Georgia (especially in the main city)? How will you describe the political incitement for supporting artists - established as well as upcoming - in Georgia? I have been here for only a month and a half and I’ve learned from a Georgian artist that most of the organizations that give funds/or support to the arts are much more likely to give funds to foreign artists collaborating with a Georgian artist. If a Georgian artist tries to get funds for himself, it would be quite difficult. I think the government focuses mainly in promoting tourism in Georgia. Most of the smaller galleries that I have been to, shows amazing Georgian art (paintings in general) but when it comes to digital art, I believe that their first International Digital Art exhibition surfaced last year. The big galleries and museums have been showing international artists and the past month, there was a great interest in photography in most big galleries and museums.
The Premonition
Dear Michael, I know you have established an artist-in-residence program in March 2012 called Ang Bahay ng Sining or The House of Art for both national and international artists (lasting one month), based in Quezon City as the premier arts, culture, music and design hub in Metro Manila.
How did you come up with the idea to this artist-in-residence program? I came up with this last August 2011 at my friend’s house in Poland. I was thinking then of making an artist-in-residence in the Philippines but then it was just a thought and there were some talks but it didn’t really materialize. I came back to the Philippines, met some old friends and talked about the same thing while on a picnic. After that, it then became serious because, my other friend and I wanted to make some sort of movement since art isn’t that much appreciated in today’s society. So, I decided to make my flat an artist-in-residence. A couple of weeks of advertising and I learned that the owner of my flat wants to sell it, so there was panic and dread that the Bahay ng Sining would not be happening, I tried however to ask some of my friends if they could house some artists in exchange for international art, then it was like a miracle. One of my good friends said yes and since then, they have been very supportive! In a month’s time, the first artists for Bahay ng Sining would be coming. You can check out the facebook page and website for Bahay ng Sining to get to know who our amazing artists would be!
What is your future goal with Ang Bahay ng Sining? The main reason why I created this was to foster a movement in the Philippines where art will become integrated with society. I intend to bring art closer to the Filipino masses by introducing the different mediums in the arts to develop appreciation and further the connectedness of Filipinos towards traditional and contemporary art and music. There is this connotation in the Philippines where art is only for the rich and the wealthy, so Bahay ng Sining also aims to remove that.
The Wailing Calls of the Night Companions
The Turning Point
What do you hope that each artist will be able to gain from the artist-in-residence? My vision is that the artists will have great opportunities in creating high quality artworks, professional exchanges and exploration of a culture different from their own. Aside from that, I believe that they will have a lot of fun, smiles and great moments in the residence as well in the city.
What are the criteria when applying as an artist to the artist-in-residence program in Ang Bahay ng Sining? How do you select the artists to the program? The criteria are as follows: Emerging to mid-career and established artists must be active in the field of contemporary art with an interest in exploration and production of collaborative work during the residency period. It is expected that the artists will be active in engaging with the dynamic environment of the city and use the opportunity to help inspire and contribute to the growth of the local art scene. Basically, we select the artists depending on the quality of their artwork and their proposal. The proposal should be in line with our vision – community art.
How many artists can participate in the artists-in-residence program? At present, we can only accept two – four artists both in Bahay ng Sining and Balay Kalamragan.
How has the response to Ang Bahay ng Sining been so far? So far, we’ve had many applications from emerging to established artists and just a few days ago we have already picked our two artists for our program on September.
You describe on your website how one of your goals with Ang Bahay ng Sining is to remove the local popular connotation that art is only for the wealthy how do you intend to do this in reality and why do you think this connotation of wealth and art has emerged in the first place? My plan is like this: an Art Festival in the heart of my city every weekend, where artists, musicians and performance artists can either show or sell their work to the general public. With this, I believe that many minds and hearts will be opened, they will also somehow be used to the fact that there is a weekly showing of artistic talent in the center of the city, I tell you this can change the way people think, just put in some good food and drinks and art will pave its way to the people’s minds and hearts. I have proposed a project like this to the local government and in our city and it is currently in the works! Aside from that, the artist-in-residencies I have created will also help by introducing international contemporary art to the public through workshops, lectures which involves the community art. By taking art to the streets and showing it in public places, we then could slowly remove the connotation that art is only for the rich.
Besides the Ang Bahay ng Sining residence you also have the Balay Kalamragan (House of Enlightenment) as a special artist-in-residence program in San Miguel, lasting 6 weeks from 1st of October to 15th of November. What is special about this artist-in-residence program? How far is the geometric distance from Ang Bahay ng Sining and how many artists can live in this residence at the same time? It is special because it is only for traditional artists and it is nestled in a deep lush region where a small community of farmers and their families live. The Balay Kalamragan is also very near a waterfall which makes it almost like a spiritual dwelling place, hence the name for it which means Enlightenment. Artists can make anything from paintings to land art, from sculptures to community based art. The distance from Bahay ng Sining to Balay Kalamragan is 535.1 miles. You can get here by plane which only takes an hour and from the airport, you can rent a car which is a 2 hour drive from the airport. 2-4 artists can live here at the same time.
The Wreathed Nomad
The Irregularites of Discernment
How do Filipino culture, politics, social environment, religion, etc. affect your art, if they do? I try to express an existing emotion within me at a given time; the experiences I have from my culture, the unsatisfactory thoughts of how the government runs the country, the social environment I grew up with and the present environment that affects me plays a major role in the art that I make. Most of what I do is universal in itself and the images that I make tend to have emotions that everyone can relate to.
How do your family and close friends relate to your choice of career as an artist and to your art in general? I must say that they are proud of me and they have supported me all the way in my career; there was no discouragement at all! I’m really happy I have my family.
What role does an artist and art in general have in society according to you? I think artists and art play a major role in society because it allows the stimulation of thoughts, experiences and emotions of each individual which then creates an atmosphere of excitement and wonder. As one artist said, “Arts play a central role in the life of every vibrant city�.
Dear Michael, where do you hope to see yourself in the future? I hope to see myself living near a wide and picturesque lake with a great wife and nice kids. This lake will not be too far from a city because I like cities too.
The Secrets of Freemasonry
Any words of advice for aspiring artists? Find yourself, be yourself, express yourself, don’t stop dreaming, don’t stop doing what you love to do and don’t stop even if you’ve succeeded.