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‘Echoes of Silence’: Otto Neri Plays with Colonial Iconography
Echoes of Silence: Guardians of Untamed digs deep into the diverse ways we can express socio-political ideas through symbolism. Of course, most art utilizes symbolism and coded messages in some way. But for this exhibit, artist Otto Neri takes it a step further, inviting viewers to contemplate these iconographies and their significance in our lives.
“Each painting invites viewers to step beyond the surface and ponder the untamed forces that shape our lives, asking us to reflect on the deeper truths of power, resilience, and the quiet yet formidable echoes of silence,” the exhibit write-up said.
Neri’s exhibit at Art Anton Gallery finds playfulness and elegance in its different reinterpretations. The artist utilizes this to comment on the current political climate, broadly and with specific issues plaguing the Philippines today.
Reinterpreting Cultural Symbols
The work of Otto Neri for Echoes of Silence can be divided into two categories. The first half dips into political statements with the symbolisms used in the paintings. For the second half, it features work from Neri’s “Petal and Steel” series, exploring the fragility and strength in beauty.
Prominent and eye-catching paintings are featured in the first half of the exhibit. All these paintings commentate on the state of the world today, from the cycle of violence in colonialism to the country’s conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea.
“The Guardians and Defenders” explicitly utilizes common Filipino indigenous imagery to symbolize the nation’s continued fight for its territories. These figures stand tall on top of a decomposing ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, as these indigenous figures find themselves surrounded by dragons in the ocean.
Other works hint towards broader themes of colonialism. “Away Tuta” features the American Uncle Sam and a “Chinese emperor” holding the leashes of two puppies fighting as maya birds watch on the sidelines. “Even Lambs Have Teeth,” meanwhile, has a female-coded lamb looking defiantly against a pride of lions, two revolvers hidden in the lamb’s back.
All of these paintings use tried-and-true images from the past. Yet Otto Neri flips them to unearth new meaning for a proactive populace in an age of angst and fighting.
The lamb is not helpless, but facing the predators with weapons on her back. Even with our rotting infrastructure, our own countrymen strive to fight back against attacks in the sea. The maya bird, instead of participating in the dogfight, appears to be moving on and looking for solutions beyond the leashes of the giants.
Animalistic Instincts of Colonialism
The most unique and pervasive symbol for Echoes of Silence, however, is the dog with a gun for a head. Otto Neri pairs these with different paintings of aristocrats and royalty, portrayed with flowers or chess pieces as heads.
Certainly, the pairing tells a lot about Neri’s own perspective into the relationship of power and violence in society. The artist chose to use the dogs as a way of evoking loyalty and guardianship, while the aristocrats symbolize beauty, elegance, and grace.
“These works are a reflection of [the artist’s] own identity,” the exhibit write-up said. “[Both] as a gardener and an animal keeper, [these works balance] themes of beauty and strength, vulnerability and resistance.”
Interestingly, from a personal perspective, exhibiting these works alongside paintings of colonialism and political strife showcases the complexity of our relationships with our own individual humanity. It implicitly showcases the connection between the “guardians” of wealth and beauty, and the destructive forces of colonialism in countries like the Philippines.
Many imperialist states use their own dogs or dragons, so to speak, as a way of accumulating wealth and power. Authority ends up coming from the violence inflicted, while the victors flaunt their affluence and wealth. That contrast between beauty and the violence it inflicts appears to lie in the heart of this exhibit.
Echoes of Silence: Guardians of Untamed does give viewers a different perspective on common political ideas. In a way, Otto Neri’s exploration of colonialism, violence, and beauty provocatively slices through the core ideas hidden in the veneer of style. The exhibit runs from 17 October to 6 November, 2024.
Photos by Elle Yap.
Related reading: Political Art in 2024: How Artists Discuss Our Sociopolitical Climate
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