Silverlens Galleries: Revolutionizing Philippine Art
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Gallery interior featuring "Cosmic Grounds" by Eric Zamuco (Photo courtesy of Silverlens Galleries)
The paradox is that everything for which Lorenzo was an outcast in New York made her perfect for Manila. Thus, Silverlens was born, initially as a photography gallery before opening its space to other disciplines of visual art. The gallery broke new ground. It was the first to utilize a warehouse space as a venue to display creative works, the first to fully represent artists and manage their careers, and the first to feature Filipino artists across the region in fairs and through partnerships with various galleries, a transaction which involves hosting an artist from a country that provides exposure to a Silverlens client.
Lorenzo's one-woman mission to vitalize a Philippine art movement turned into a collaborative venture in 2007, when Rachel Rillo, a graduate of the Academy of Art College in San Francisco and a commercial and fine arts photographer previously based in California, joined at the helm. Today Rillo oversees the logistics of the gallery, including exhibition design and framing.
Isa Lorenzo (left) and Rachel Rillo (Photo courtesy of Silverlens Galleries)
Silverlens currently has connections in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Its talents have gained attention outside the limited circle of patrons and collectors, both of whom traditionally had been the backbone for the glory of many a Filipino artist. The gallery itself has been recognized in international publications such as Art Asia Pacific, the most widely circulated trade magazine in Asia; Art Monthly Australasia; and the London based Art Review.
What is especially distinct about Silverlens is that all the pieces that occupy its space are curated by a pair of entrepreneurial artists – Lorenzo and Rillo -- who have the spirit of Southeast Asia in their souls and the blood of its ancestors in their veins; in effect, subverting the longstanding tradition of western dealers who too often exoticize Far Eastern art. "When I went to art school, it was so western-centric," says Lorenzo. "We are invisible. It's not even that 'I know who you are, but I'm not interested.' No. It's 'You don't exist, and if you exist, let me tell you about you.'" To eliminate cultural appropriation, Lorenzo and Rillo enforce a strict code of acceptance -- they only take on artists with roots in Southeast Asia and who possess a vision that is both contemporary and daring.
Such a vision transcends generations. Among Silverlens' roster of originals are Martha Atienza, 38, and Pacita Abad, who passed away in 2004 at the age of 58.
Gallery exterior (Photo courtesy of of Silverlens Galleries)
Of Atienza, Lorenzo says, "What really struck me about her work was how relevant and universal it is 'cuz she works with the theme of water in the environment." The artist made headlines in 2017 with a wall-to-wall video installation of deep sea divers dressed in myriad costumes that ranged from a Christ-like figure to rifled officers hunting down a drug lord. The result was a viewing experience akin to witnessing an alternate world undersea through an aquarium window.
"In this day and age, you need to find the real pioneers," Lorenzo stresses. She is adamant that trailblazers of the past deserve present merit, and one of the most distinguished is Abad, whose massive legacy consists of paintings, ceramics, prints, paper collages, and quilts. Active in the 1980s and 1990s, Abad had lived in uncommon locales such as the Congo and Sudan, drawing inspiration from every land she explored and elevating her imaginative prowess that much higher. She was the first female to be honored with the TOYM Philippines: The Outstanding Young Men Awards. Since then, other women have had the privilege of being recipients.
“The paradox is that everything for which Lorenzo was an outcast in New York made her perfect for Manila.”
The latest Silverlens star is 49-year-old Eric Zamuco, who was just highlighted in a one-man show entitled "Cosmic Grounds." The exhibition was a celebration of the hope that brightens every dark moment. In the past two years, Zamuco and various members of his family had suffered health issues, which prompted him to take meditative hikes in a woodland near home. There he gathered objects to be used as foundations to sculptures. The restoration of these discarded materials symbolizes his revived health.
In addition to being unique, a Silverlens artist is dedicated, disciplined, and ambitious – characteristics for which Lorenzo and Rillo pride themselves, as well. "We really want to be the go-to people when people think of Southeast Asian contemporary [art]," Lorenzo says. "We're not gonna be ranked the number one gallery in the world, but we can definitely come first in this region; if not the most bought from, definitely the most respected. Hopefully, both so that way we attract good artists who want to show with us, and we can increase the profile of our existing artists."
Silverlens Galleries
https://www.silverlensgalleries.com/
Rafaelito Sy
Rafaelito V. Sy is the author of Potato Queen, a novel about the relationship between Caucasians and Asians in the San Francisco gay community of the 1990s. Please visit his blog of short stories and inspirational essays on film: www.rafsy.com.
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