The Visayan terracotta artists are back at Alliance Française (AFM) Total Gallery.  After their successful exhibition at AFM in June 2008, Bacolod-based Joe Geraldo and Israel “Noi” Gonzales are joined by Dumaguete sculptor Mark Valenzuela in an exhibition of new works in terracotta and mixed media entitled “Gingikanan” (“Origins”).

The exhibition explores the myriad possibilities and potentials of clay, with the artists expressing their joy and affinity with something spiritual that comes from working with a medium that is part of the earth, a material that is eternal and pure.  

This exhibition considers the idea of looking back. It reflects on where we have come from and how our origins shape and inform our lives.

Gingikanan is a Hiligaynon word (ginikanan in Cebuano) which means roots or origin. The concept of origin means more than simply the place where we were born. Instead, it refers more broadly to our roots; to the people, experiences, and places that form our early life.

Each person can interpret this exhibition differently, because each person brings with them their own history, memories, and feelings about where they came from. We all have different ways of looking back and we all feel differently about our roots. For some, looking back provides a sense of connectedness and belonging, while others may feel loss or alienation. But for all of us, our roots are a part of who we are and as such continue to be of importance to our lives.

Gingikanan may also refer to parents or forebears. As we grow older, the familial attachments of childhood change; relationships with our parents and family may become more distant, or may end due to loss or other circumstances. As such, in looking back, we might also reflect on the role of our parents/grandparents/ancestors in our lives and the extent to which they have shaped us. How much of our forebears exist within us? How much of them do we carry with us?   

Gingikanan is not simply a nostalgic remembrance of the past. Rather, this exhibition considers that the past exists within us; that our origins hold continued importance to our lives; and that to a great extent our roots inform our present-day and future existence.

The show “Origin” by Roedil “Joe” Geraldo, Israel “Noi” Gonzales, & Mark Valenzuela opens at the Alliance Française Total Gallery on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, and will be on exhibit until Thursday, August 26, 2010. Alliance Française de Manille is located at 209 Nicanor Garcia St. (formerly Reposo St.) Bel-Air 2, Makati City, Philippines