FIELD TRIP PROJECT

UP Vargas Museum, in cooperation with Japan Foundation, opens Field Trip Project on November 12, Thursday, 4pm, at the 3F Galleries.

Field Trip Project, curated by Daisuke Takeya and Laya Boquiren, aims to explore the concept of environmental sustainability, natural disasters, and creative responses in tackling the challenges regarding them. The old, unneeded and donated randoseru or Japanese backpack becomes the point of reference for the show: artists go to different sites to exchange stories with the people from the communities of disaster-struck areas while wearing these backpacks, thus simulating a field trip. The artists’ journey to different locations enables them to have an artistic intervention that aids in trauma release and recovery. Thus, the randoseru, which will be artistically transformed, becomes repositories of experiences and memories, transcending its usage of being merely a compartment of things.

Mobility is a significant part of the exhibit: the randoseru travelled from Japan, Canada, and Singapore before reaching the Philippines. Three sites were selected for this project: Baguio City (inflicted by a killer earthquake in 1990), Tanauan, Leyte (severely affected by the typhoon Haiyan in 2013), and Vargas Museum, the space where the randoseru will be showcased, viewed and explored tactilely.

The Filipino artists chosen for the exhibit are those whose practices rely intrinsically on the process of production: some focusing on the manipulation of material, while others, reflecting and acting on the therapeutic potential of the randoseru.

The exhibit showcases Filipino artists (Mark Salvatus, Mervy Pueblo, Noell El Farol, Jason Domling, Aze Ong, Tioan Medrano, Paul Quiano), as well as artists whose works are part of the Mobile Travelling Exhibition from Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, India , Brazil, Australia, England, Iceland and France: Eugene Soh, Daniela Beltrani, Stellah Lim Chii Cze, Vincent Twardzik Ching, Twardzik Ching Chor Leng, Ezzam Rahman, Justin Lee, Adeleine Daysor, Urich Lau, Andy Yang, Joshua Yang Kwang Yong, Jingxuan Hu, Ahmad Abu Bakar, Erzan B Adam, Sunar Sugiyou, Paul Lincoln, Ryf Zaini, Green Zeng, Kray Chen, Daisuke Takeya, Yoshihiro Yamamoto, Yoi Kawakubo, Hokuto Narikiyo, Yukari Ishiguro, Irwan Ahmet, Tita Salina, Paribartana Mohanty, Pedro Inoue, Dudu Tsuda, Hannah Quinlivan, Sam Stocker, Susanna Hertrich, Dagrún Aðalsteindóttir, Dominique Baron-Bonarjee.

 Field Trip Project runs until December 11.

For more information, please contact Vargas Museum at (+632) 928-1927 (direct line), (+632) 981-8500 loc. 4024 (UP trunkline), (+632) 928-1925 (fax) or send an e-mail to vargasmuseum@gmail.com. You may also check our website at http://vargasmuseum.upd.edu.ph or like us at http://www.facebook.com/vargasmuseum.upd and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @UPVargasMuseum for updates.