Shaira Angelica Caunda

Features Middle t h e trimming the distance between polar opposites in the art world AIRA CALINA What is art? I know what you’re thinking: “Why is she using such an unoriginal question to start her article for an art magazine?” I know what you’re thinking: “Why is she using such an unoriginal question to start her article for an art magazine?” Now if I told you right off the bat that this was my first article for NRM, you could be thinking this instead: “Why is she using such an unoriginal question to start her first article for an art magazine?” Allow me to defend my case. The question, for me, isn’t at all unoriginal, per se. I think anyone, at any time in the world’s shelf-life can ask it simply because to this day, it hasn’t been truly answered. Sure, there have been attempts to put a definite dictionary meaning to the word art, but nothing that has yet to appease everyone. I most definitely am not trying to take the most-coveted honor for myself, I’m simply hoping to upturn another rock on the path towards giving art a clear-cut characterization, if it ever is possible. Well, here goes nothing. 24 | NEW READER MAGAZINE Arts and Culture | Philippines Ground F rom the last days of October to the first week of December this year, the world’s most visited multi-sensory exhibit has once again set camp at the Far East. Filipino art enthusiasts were graced with the opportunity to see glimpses of the genius Vincent van Gogh’s life through his art, in a surrealistically contemporary way. The NRM team was fortunate enough to get tickets to see its Manila installation shortly before they were sold out. Grande Exhibitions’ Van Gogh Alive: the experience is billed as an “unforgettable multimedia experience,” and it does, in fact, hold true. But how? Let me tell you. The exhibition’s promoter invites us to “discover Vincent van Gogh’s art and life like never before.” It is, in all aspects of the word, modern, in that it is timely, futuristic, and technical. It makes use of SENSORY4, a system created and developed by Grande Exhibitions, which combines technology and the natural human senses to create a dreamlike immersive world that captivates people of varying generations and interests. In an interview I had with Grande Exhibitions, they described the system as a combination of motion graphics, surround sound, and the use of projection. The exhibition’s arrangement may vary in the different locations it’s in. Just outside the primary demonstration area at the Mind Museum in Manila, what greeted us was a mini-gallery of some of Van Gogh’s works, along with brief descriptions of the pieces themselves, or about the time of his life when they were created. It also featured a life-sized physical replica of Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles, complete with furniture shaped and colored as they are in the painting. People were allowed to interact with the elements and take pictures to create the gushy illusion of being in one of the places the artist was, and induce a comforting feeling of intimacy. Inside the main chamber, exhibit-goers were taken through Van Gogh’s artistic journey with the use of vivid imagery straight out of the esteemed artist’s repertoire. The accompanying classical music was soothing, and each track was well-matched and perfectly-timed with whatever painting was projected on the walls. Taking of pictures and videos wasn’t prohibited, as long as they didn’t disrupt the experience of others. When we were there, I almost forgot I had to take photos for this piece—I somehow learned to live in the moment again. I almost forgot I had to take photos for this piece—I somehow learned to live in the moment again. But what does all this have to do with this article’s main point? Well, it turns out that NRM bears some similarities to Grande Exhibitions’ purpose in doing what they do. Grande Exhibitions, creator and designer of some of the world’s most successful exhibitions, has been in the game for more than a decade. After the success of Van Gogh Alive back when it was first launched in 2011 at The ArtScience Museum in Singapore, they went on with releasing new content and adding more multi-sensory elements. In fact, they very recently introduced the incorporation of the aroma senses into an experience. I broke off from my usually anxious and shy self and puffed up my tenacious tendencies to try and get someone from Grande Exhibitions to do an interview with us. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to go on a Skype call with no less than the Head of Commercial Operations for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Rob Kirk—a very polite and nice person—and the interview felt like a normal chat. I learned a lot, though. Definitely more than what you could learn from an everyday conversation. Grande Exhibitions, according to Rob Kirk, has a mission of introducing a new or different audience to certain subject matters. They aim to provide a fun yet equally educating option for those who either aren’t very familiar about them, or those who may have some knowledge or idea, but wouldn’t really choose to go the traditional route of art appreciation and education, like going to museums or prestigious galleries. Their main goal is “breaking down the boundaries and introducing a newer audience to art.” As is the case with Leonardo da Vinci, for example, whose works can NEW READER MAGAZINE | 25 Features be very technical and detailed. Through the use of digital media in their Leonardo da Vinci Collection, they are able to present his pieces and inventions in a more enjoyable manner—especially for those who haven’t and couldn’t make a move towards exploring the complexities of his creations—and in a way that makes them easier to absorb and understand. Kirk says that according to their demographic data, of the total population that goes to traditional museums and sees static images on walls, 10-15% isn’t interested at all. But then there’s this middle ground. Majority of them do want to see and appreciate art, but most likely want it to be presented differently. That middle ground, Kirk says, is where projects like Van Gogh Alive lie: the classic yet contemporary. “A lot of it is probably to do with the family [and visitor] interaction, where we want to make sure that you have an element of education, and you’re pitching it to the adult audience, but you’re not finding [that] the children are bored in the experience, and not going into a static art gallery where they’re tugging on your coat sleeves and sort of saying, ‘Look, this is boring, let me get out of here.’” Kirk went on to say that it’s all about presenting something in a different way to make sure that a particular audience is engaged and entertained, because there’s tons of information for them to pick up in terms of the understanding and enjoyment of art. Doing that in a slightly different way to engage them is a big part of what they do. Another thing they also wish to achieve is the bridging of gaps. In my humble knowledge of traditional art, which is largely based on books and movies, the proper way to appreciate it (if there is such a thing) can only be achieved by a financially or geographically privileged few. Take me, for example. As a Van Gogh fan who cries whenever Don McLean’s Vincent plays, and refuses to watch unofficial copies of Loving Vincent after missing the one-time screening of the movie in the area, it is only obvious that going to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has been my lifelong dream. My financial and geographical privileges end at browsing through Tumblr for pictures of the museum’s outer walls. When news of Van Gogh Alive coming to Manila sprouted all over Facebook, I knew I just had to stretch out my arms and go for it. A few days after the trip was planned and my appointment with Rob Kirk was up, I just had to ask 26 | NEW READER MAGAZINE Majority of them do want to see and appreciate art, but most likely want it to be presented differently. That middle ground, Kirk says, is where projects like Van Gogh Alive lie: the classic yet contemporary. him how they came up with the idea of taking art outside of the more artistic countries and cities like Rome and Paris. “It’s because people don’t have the opportunity, necessarily, to visit those parts of the world. It’s huge sections of the [global] population that don’t have the luxury, the ability to be able to travel to Amsterdam and visit the Van Gogh Museum… or go and visit the Vatican, or the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, or Galleria dell'Accademia in Milan to go and see the originals on display.” As a modern art enthusiast myself, I found that to be very thoughtful. And if that isn’t enough, they also wish to close the distance between generations, at least when it comes to enjoying art. It is very much easy to see how the exhibition is entrancing for people of all ages. The classical music tugs at the nostalgia of the older folks, while they enjoy the fresh take on the classics. The technological aspect of it appeals to the younger ones, who are, in turn, introduced to the golden tunes of the past. So what of Vincent van Gogh? There were lots of other artists before, during, and after his time, ones who were more famous and had, subjectively, more “refined” techniques. Grande Exhibitions runs another travelling exhibition called The French Impressionists: Monet to Cézanne, but as the name implies, it is but a collection of various artists. Why is there an exhibition dedicated solely to Vincent Arts and Culture | Philippines van Gogh? Kirk says there are quite a few reasons as to how that came to be. He says he sees a natural appeal to the genius. For one, there is no denying the aesthetic quality of Van Gogh’s works. The vibrant colors, the way they are fused together in every piece, and the subjects they portray all make for an interesting showing in large format. Add to that the fact that his is a tragic story that intrigues people more than a hundred years after his passing. Again, this traces back to the original question I started all this with. Not very many people considered Van Gogh’s art to be worthy of recognition then. If he were alive today, he’d probably be nodding, not in agreement, but because he was right when he said, “If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.” His life is one for the movies, books, songs, and just about any cultural depiction you can think of. The collective art world decides what makes art art, so to speak. Although Van Gogh’s eccentricities weren’t readily received when he was alive, people have since seen the quality of his work and the immensity of his artistic reach. Kirk says, however, that that doesn’t mean other artists’ creations won’t work as concepts—in fact, they’re constantly discussing which luminaries to showcase next—only that you could definitely see why people would get drawn to Van Gogh. Grande Exhibitions takes pride in the fact that they are able to introduce a new way to see art. They want to clarify, however, that they are not trying to take audiences of the traditional approach away. “It's just about making sure that it becomes a compelling story to tell—and I think that for us, at the end of the day, we are storytellers, so we try to look for the right story to tell. That drives a lot of our decisions in the content that we create, or the partnerships that we forge,” Kirk says. The way I see it, these events are great ways to disperse what needs to be made known. it’s these kinds of events that aim to educate more people in more ways than previously imagined that we should take time patronizing, and we should be glad more people are now open to possibilities of all kinds. I think I’ve exhausted all my musings after seeing Van Gogh Alive and after the lovely chat with Rob Kirk. Did I define art? Was this article able to provide a valid answer to that unrelenting age-old question? Were my attempts at blending facts with my own personal views significant at all? No, no, and maybe (I hope). What I know is that it would be nice if we could stop ourselves from making the same mistake that many before us have made in the past; art is better off not being secluded in a four-walled room with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors to make it look like it has no boundaries. The mere argument that it has to have a meaning is defeating its entire purpose of expressing the distinct and unexplainable inner workings of any individual. Besides, letting art free makes it a lot more fun, too! Before I leave you to enjoy the other great things in this issue (and we’ve prepared lots for you!), let me just say that this is, in no way, an attempt to do away with the traditional tone that a lot of us have set our foundations on. It’s purely a proposition to not overlook or discredit something just because it is outside of the norms. Whether I’m talking about Van Gogh and his struggles in his last years, or Grande Exhibitions’ au courant take on showcasing art, or the general dilemma of the modern creative, I leave for you to decide. As has been the intended theme of this whole think piece, I wouldn’t ever dream of putting your beautifully restless thoughts in a cage—just remember to let them set foot on middle grounds sometimes. It's just about making sure that it becomes a compelling story to tell—and I think that for us, at the end of the day, we are storytellers, so we try to look for the right story to tell. NEW READER MAGAZINE | 27