UNIQUE EDITION handmade and (some) hand-colored PHOTO COLLAGEs
exhibited in the Philippines, Hong Kong and France
will be on sale along with other works from the 10A ALABAMA family
at ART IN THE PARK from 2 to 12 PM.
KITAKITS!!!
SHOUT OUT TO THE UNIVERSE November 8, 2011
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I WILL HAVE AN EXHIBITION NEXT YEAR !
I am not yet exactly sure where but I BELIEVE it will happen.
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THE BURNING GAZE aka makuha ka sa tingin October 31, 2011
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WHAT YOU ARE GAZING AT ARE NOT PHOTOGRAPHS,
BUT ARE ACTUALLY PAINTINGS !!!
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Hyperrealist portraits by Korean artist HYUNG KOO KANG.
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This exhibition focuses on Kang’s works over the last 10 years,
ranging from his popular personality portraits, spontaneous caricatures and sculptures to his haunting self-portraits.
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His artworks may resemble a photograph, but these are not considered as photorealism.
Kang does not use pre-existing photographs to create the images, but rather primarily depends upon his imagination.
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These larger than life portraits truly commands the viewer to stop, look and really see.
And with their burning gaze I feel them communicating to me.
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HYUNG KOO KANG
The Burning Gaze
14 October – 15 December, 2011
Singapore Art Museum
Free admission every Friday, 6-9 pm
(images shot by JK)
afternoon delight August 21, 2011
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My day in Paris usually starts in the afternoon.
It can vary from exploring different neighborhoods, to going to exhibitions, to meeting up with friends
or it could all happen in just one afternoon 
Acrobats and Musicians at HOTEL DE VILLE
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Photo Exhibition at CITé DES ARTS GALLERY
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Open Studio of my friend FLAVIA MEIRELES (Dancer-Brazil)
INTROSPECTIVE June 1, 2011
WHAT AM I HERE FOR?
I should be way past the tourist path and focus more on exploring the deep.
I am in a place surrounded by art and grounded by rich culture,
I should take more advantage of that.
My work should deepen…
I should deepen…
Away from my comfort zone,
I am personally battling ghosts I never thought existed.
Last year, I was deeply consumed working on the video installation on Consumption. When a friend watched it for the first time, he couldn’t believe I made it. I think he’s always seen me as the smiley one that creates colorful photo collages… And when he saw images on my video of sex, war and religion, he couldn’t believe that it came from me.
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Have I gone to the dark side?
In a meeting with a French master photographer I learned that it is best to explore my life and my art more. To get to know the masters and discover the history of what I am doing now. To understand what happened in the past to face my future… I do what I do the only way I know how. I didn’t study art, I didn’t study photography and being here I realized I have sooooo much to learn…
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AND EUROPE WILL BE STUNNED
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images shot in FIAC 2010
10a ALABAMA ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR May 11, 2011
SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS
Spend your weekend (May 14 & 15) with us!!!
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Several of my unique edition handmade photo collages and other handmade-with-love goodies
will be ON SALE here 
SEE YOU in ALABAMA, New Manila!!!
RETURN to NEVERLAND May 1, 2011
view from Villa Romana
windows installation by Mark Tandoyog
bridge installation by Rene Aquitania
(l-r) ferdie balanag, kawayan de guia, rene aquitania
bamboo installation by Rishab
Kawayan de Guia's ukay-ukay tent built with the help of Baguio Volunteers
blind weaver
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Baguio is my Neverland
Inhabited by colorful creatures like Tinker Bell and Peter Pan
Fairy dusts and Happy thoughts all around
A place where I learned how to fly and never land…
Fil-Canadian Artist Jen Maramba
spontaneous connection art exhibition initiated by Jen
musician Lirio Salvador
I CONSUME THERFORE I AM video & live performance in Baguio
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My video “I consume Therefore I am” was also shown first time in the Philippines, during this event.
My deepest gratitude to all the artists and musicians who collaborated and made it all possible…
(Musicians: Mark Zero, Armi Millare of Up Dharma Down, Shant Verdun, Elemento)
Images shot during the Axis International Arts Festival & Ipitik festival in Baguio City.
art imitates life imitates art January 21, 2011
ROUND AND ROUND WE GO
IN THE MERRY GO ROUND OF LIFE
FEELING LOST WITHOUT YOU
I’M IN DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLUE
HINTS OF LILAC
HUES OF PINK
A MOMENT FROZEN
IN A TABLEAU
CRISPY REDS
SCRUMPTIOUS YELLOWS
MAKES ME WONDER
WHAT’S AT THE END OF THIS RAINBOW
Images shot in Concorde, Tuileries, Musée de l’orangerie, Ladurée & Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville.
A PRETTY GOOD YEAR… December 31, 2010
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
I did my first cleansing diet ever!!!!! I love food and to be deprived of it for 10-15 days was ahm interesting, haha. I documented myself everyday which became the jump off point to my Consumption concept :p
Created shredded tees, accessories and other handmade with love goodies.
Launched different sites (blog, online portfolio, ROCK&RULE online shops (etsy & weebly) and shared it to the world.
Opened a paypal account and my very own french bank account.
Brought my art to the dark side ;p Collaborated with different artists/dancer/musicians. Put up a show on my own. Had my first video/performance.
Talked about what I do in 15 minutes for PechaKucha night.
Watched Wicked the musical and right after saw the Porn Idol (where men went full monty) in London, hahaha.
Went to my first big concert in Paris (Tori Amos).
Lost my mac and bought myself a pc.
Lived in an atelier facing the Seine and stayed there 2 months longer than I expected.
Left my job as a director/edit supervisor of almost 10 years and began a new life outside my comfort zone.
2. Did anyone close to you get married?
My yakker friends – Lovey & Joms, Jasonzaks & Agayskee - I missed both their wedding in Manila 
but I was one of the witness for Mawj & Henri’s wedding in France :D
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3. What countries did you visit?
Last year, I was in Japan for a shoot (my first and last out of the country trip for I-Witness.) This year, I went to visit the queen in London and gobbled up some waffles and frites in Belgium.
4. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Mo’ money, regular but flexible work, a band, new artworks and discipline to really study/practice/converse in French.
5. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Rekindling my relationship with my sis. Passing on the torch to other I-Witness colleagues. Using a pc and editing the video installation in Adobe Premiere (I’m used to Avid & FCP). My expositions and the birth of ROCK&RULE Leaving my comfort zone and starting a new adventure.
6. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting the racket.
7. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane ticket, art books and a ticket to the Tori Amos concert.
8. Where did most of your money go?
Food, metro tickets, entrance fees for exhibits, postcards/magazines from museum shops, materials for my ROCK&RULE shop and my trip to London.
9. What did you really, really, really get excited about?
Getting my Talents & Competents visa approved and my sister giving birth.
10. What song will always remind you of 2010?
PARIS by Friendly Fires. “One day I’m gonna live in Paris, I promise, I’m on it!”
11. Compared to this time last year are you:
Happier? Ouais!!! Thinner? I was a bit heavier in 2009 but this year I’m not too far from my after-cleansing weight so I think I got a bit thinner, naks may pag-eexplain. Richer? Financially no but experience-wise, yes yes yo!
12. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Created more artworks and explored more career opportunities.
I missed a lot of events in Manila this year but what I really regret missing was the Probe’s farewell party. Sigh.
13. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sleeping super dooper late (like 6 or 7am) and surfing the internet!!!
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14. How did you spend Christmas?
I organized a Christmas party ala Yakkers complete with theme, charades, things to let go, exchange gifts and homemade meals with friends here in Paris… Then for Christmas eve, A & I celebrated it with strangers from around the world!!! The professional musician didn’t turn up for the party so I sang, played the guitar and jammed for everyone
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15. How will you be spending new years?
With a bang!!! Will celebrate it with friends here
16. What was your favorite TV program?
We don’t have tv but we download stuff from the net… We watch episodes of True Blood, Dexter, Flight of the Conchords, Breaking Bad, Simpsons, South Park, Futurama…
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17. What was the best event you attended?
The open mic cum farewell party for me with friends at Conspiracy, Fete de la Musique, Paris Nuit Blanche, avant premiere of The Radiant Child, FIAC. Too bad I missed the avant premiere of Black Swan where I could’ve met Darren Aranofsky…
18. What did you want and you got?
The approval of my long-stay working visa / my carte de sejour and a show at Cité des Arts.
19. What did you want and not get?
A job and a band.
20. What was your favorite film of this year?
Mmmm tough one, will mention the films that I really liked. The radiant child - a documentary on Basquiat, Exit through the gift shop – a documentary by Banksy, Anime films like Paprika, Amer beton, Summer Wars…
21. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?
I just got back in Manila after my 2nd Artist Residency in Paris that time, spent an afternoon with a very good friend and celebrated it with the yakkers and a couple-friend in Van Gogh is Bipolar in the evening. Jetro and Robert reserved the whole place for us Read old emails from friends and finally shared my private blog to everybody I turned curly 33.
22. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Bringing my parents here, getting a steady income, speaking perfect French!
23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Rainbow brite meets Punky Brewster and then said hi to Edward Scissorhands
24. What kept you sane?
Art, me-time, my A, real conversation with friends, blogging, nutella crepe and milkshake, cooking for loved ones, my walks, chats and email exchanges with family & friends, shooting around with my camera…
25. Who did you miss?
My family, nephews, yakkers, good friends, yobags tribe, k-bunnies, our I-Witness team, AF classmates, barkadoodles.
26. Who was the best new person you met?
I met Elliot Erwitt (master photographer), Beth Orton (musician), Tamara Davis (director of the Basquiat documentary) and the musicians/artists I collaborated with for my show “I consume therefore I am.”
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Hmmm this will be a series of clichés but it really rings true this year… Well dreams do really come true, never stop believing, if you really really want something just go for it and always believe in yourself because who else will :D haha
28. Quote or Song Lyric that sums up your year:
Unti-unting mararating, kalangitan at bituin,
unti-unting kinabukasan ko’y magniningning
hawak ngayoy tibay ng damdamin
bukas naman sa aking paggising
kapiling ko’y pangarap na bituin…
HAHAHAHAHAPPY HOLIDAZE EVERYONE!!!
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Questions borrowed from ALASDOS.Tumblr
MURAKAMI WONDERLAND December 20, 2010
I’m not really a big fan of Takashi Murakami but I really like the characters he designed for the virtual OZ in Summer Wars. I saw the film here in Paris and watched it in Japanese with French subtitles
Well, apparently Murakami’s kawaii characters are back and it has invaded Chateau Versailles!
There’s a lot of talk about this exhibition and not all of it were good but it was enough to spark my interest. So from our weekend stay in Normandy we drove straight off to the chateau to catch the last day of the controversial exposition…
TONGARI-KUN (Mr. Pointy)
and look what greeted us inside the castle,
a larger than life colorful creature!
KIKI
KAI KAI
I just feel so giddy and happy to see all these dream-like creatures in this huge castle.
I feel like Alice in Murakami Wonderland!
YUME LION or THE DREAM LION
POM & ME
“Off with his head!” cried the traditionalists to Murakami.
They felt it was inappropriate to put these modern artworks amidst the historic-classic beauty that is Versailles.
MS. KO
For me, I found the juxtaposition rather interesting.
I feel that the mix engages us in this dialogue where they complement each other and also disagrees.
The fusion of the old and the new
all encrusted with diamonds and gems
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
the blending of classic paintings and pop art
SUMMER VACATION IN THE KINGDOM OF THE GOLDEN
the mix of East and West
OVAL BUDDHA outside
J
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I believe that this is what the exhibit was all about…
It is not our first time here in the castle but this exposition was a good enough reason to come back. It gave us the chance to rediscover the place again, it felt like seeing everything with new eyes. I was always looking forward to discover what’s in the next room and it never failed to make me smile.
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my favorite FLOWER MATANGO
I thoroughly enjoyed the different textures and tastes presented here. When it comes to food, I love dipping fries in vanilla ice cream and eating soft pastry with crispy chips. And in a way, the mix of Murakami’s kitschy kawaii characters with the elegant Versailles background is like chocolate covered potato chips for me, it may be odd for some but it truly was yummy for me 
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In some ways I feel like this weird sculptures… Being here in Paris and feeling a bit out of place. In my first few months here I am looking for ways to connect, wanting to belong, yearning for a sense of community but then eventually I realized I could never blend in. Instead of trying to belong, I found myself looking in… inwardly this time and just try to do my own thing.
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Murakami Versailles
exhibit ended last December 12, 2010
Chateau de Versailles
