Benjie Mallari’s “Walks of Life” Opens at Galleria Nicolas on September 29
The past is often remembered through the eyes of the powerful. It is through the deeds of great and ignoble men and women that we understand history. The power of visual art is to refocus this attention to ordinary people, whose lives are often many times more interesting as glimpses of another time. After all, “To walk in another man’s shoes,” as the saying goes, is to know the essence of humanity.
Baguio-based painter Benjie Mallari possesses a practice that is attuned to this notion and his forthcoming exhibition “Walks of Life,” exemplifies his unique approach. His paintings reflect not only the different characters that make up humanity, but also zeroes in on a specific historical time and setting: that of Philippine society before and a little after World War II. “The images are from the 1930’s to the late 1950’s,” says Mallari. “They reference old Manila, focusing on scenes from the iconic Escolta of that era.” His works center on subjects in the act of movement – crossing the street, coming home from work, on the way to school or market – and places them in the vacuum of an abstract background. In this manner, Mallari freezes his subjects as fascinating elements for observation.
His characters, are removed from their contexts and placed in colorful abstract backgrounds. “I am hoping the backgrounds make my work more timeless and more modern making them more relevant to today’s viewers,” he opines. “Everyone remembers old Manila in black-and-white. I want to bring that image into something more contemporary.”
The aesthetics he uses is reminiscent of National Artist BenCab, whom Mallari admits being inspired by. He differs, though, in his insistence on the minute details. His paintings end up being intricate and diverse, revealing an artist very sensitive to the world around him.
This approach is best exemplified by his work “Escolta Crossing,” which is set in the 1930’s and depicts different people from all walks of life at an imagined crossing in Escolta. The perspectives and field depth suggest distance, but the street itself is rendered as an abstract concept—thus allowing us to better connect with the humanity of the subjects. The characters themselves are from all walks of life, surveying the types of residents who inhabited Manila at that time.
“Walks of Life” opens on Thursday, 29 September 2016, 6:30 p.m. at Galleria Nicolas, 3F Art Space Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City and runs until October 9, 2016.
Benjie Mallari (b. 1955) is a painter and illustrator. A fixture in the Baguio art scene, where he is friends with the likes of Kidlat Tahimik, he has exhibited at the Tamawan Art Village. Before he moved to Baguio, he was formerly the head of the Art Section of Meralco, and an artist for various newspapers—including Sunday Malaya and The Manila Chronicle. He designed the centennial calendar of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, and jacket covers of albums of works by National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro. He has a degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising, from the University of the East.
