ANYAREH, Kiko Marquez’s newest exhibit at Art Cube Gallery in Makati, uses some interesting surrealist imagery to depict a world upended, while redefining the meaning of normal.
Marquez claims his daughter served as the inspiration for the exhibit, asking an “innocent question” about “some baffling scenes she experienced.” From that child-like curiosity, Marquez crafts works that straddle the line between the natural and modern world.
“[The exhibit] is an evolving story of where we are now and where this expression of the artist’s thought-provoking journey will take us,” the exhibit write-up said. “Marquez’s dexterous technique and layered symbolisms invite viewers to explore the intersections of beauty and fragility, protection and vulnerability.”
“Layered symbolisms” is correct. ANYAREH is a series of multimedia works that provokes discussions on our society’s treatment of the environment as a whole.
Many of the paintings employ the motif of plastic pollution to illustrate how it changes our environment for the worse. One work shows a plastic bag floating in the ocean like an iceberg, and another shows a tiny fish stuck inside a plastic cup. It very much comments on the dangers of this pollution on the ocean.
Other works, like the painted animals in cages, provoke commentary on how we treat animals. For this one, Marquez uses actual metal bars to cage his subjects. This artistic choice establishes the idea of how humanity tends to imprison things found in nature.
His use of mixed media doesn’t end there, adding concrete elements on some of his landscapes. One painting juxtaposes a butterfly on a blade of grass with a “no parking” concrete barrier, with exposed rebar mimicking the blade of grass.
All of these combine to create this perspective: human progress as the removal of nature. We have all these memories of scenic farms and forests, but for many of us, the reality is concrete and steel buildings instead. Many of us wouldn’t be able to experience untarnished nature—we see animals in zoos, and fences and buildings surround our own parks.
Kiko Marquez’s work puts us in that context. It doesn’t marvel at the wonder of nature, it shows us instead that the continued progress of humankind requires the removal of nature in most of our spaces. The artist puts the same kind of barriers that city folks have in experiencing these places. And then it hits us with the question: “anyareh?” (“what happened?”).
Marquez shows us that a world focused only on human progress is a world lacking in freedom. In these works, even those that used to exist freely are now suffocated by our progress. Is a world filled with plastic pollution, where we see nature only in the context of zoos and small parks between buildings—is this the world we really want? Can a world this polluted be enough for everyone living in it?
ANYAREH doesn’t answer those questions for us. Provocation doesn’t always need a concrete answer. Kiko Marquez, crafting this from the curiosity of his young child, just puts us in a headspace where we can ruminate on the kind of world we desire to live in.
Related reading: ‘Gyre Dominion’: Jose Olarte Digs Up Meta-Commentary for Industrial Progress
Contemporary design refers to the constantly evolving design trends of today. With the power to design our built environments, architects have been experimenting with various architectural approaches. Whether that is through unconventional forms or the integration of smart technologies, BluPrint lists down Filipino architects who are defining contemporary architecture. Deo Alam Architect Deo Alrashid Alam […]
In the Philippines, adaptive reuse gained traction during the 1970s with the rise of conservation and environmental preservation movements. It offered an architectural solution that reuses existing spaces to fit modern needs. Across the country, several projects demonstrate how this approach is being applied—transforming heritage structures into active spaces for culture, hospitality, and community life. […]
From residential spaces to civic structures, lighting dictates the mood of a space. It controls the visual dynamics of an interior, serving as a guiding tool that highlights key design elements, including materials and textures. Related Reading: Lampscaping: How to Light up Your Home like a Pro Regulating the Mood: Natural and Artificial Light in […]
More and more Filipinos are flocking to condominium communities. Often tucked within busy city centers, condo living acts as a small respite from urban chaos. Faced with the challenge of transforming a cramped condominium into a warm living space, BluPrint lists condo interior design ideas that can maximize each square foot of small spaces. Purposeful […]
Modern bathrooms are no longer purely functional spaces. Increasingly, they are being designed as environments that support cleanliness, ease, and quiet restoration within the home. As daily life becomes more demanding and health awareness continues to rise, homeowners are beginning to expect more from the spaces where daily rituals begin and end. For architects and […]
From the moment a diner steps through the door, each detail shapes how a meal is experienced. Restaurant design has evolved, with architects and culinary professionals collaborating to create built spaces that are as intentional as the menu itself. The spatial atmosphere acts as an additional ingredient that can define the culinary experience. Taupe and […]
