Truth Beneath a Confession, conceived by Vanini Belarmino together with Mark Justiniani

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION Artist: Mark Justiniani Curator: Vanini Belarmino Concept Proposal

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

01

CURATORIAL CONCEPT

TEXT BY: VANINI BELARMINO

Truth Beneath a Confession wishes to untangle and raise

belief

in

salvation,

forgiveness,

spiritual

cleansing,

questions surrounding the inherent need of individuals for confession

freedom from sin or release from guilt, accounts for the weight

in contemporary society. The idea is inspired by Alain de Botton’s

confession holds in one’s mind. Yet interestingly, the Filipino word

‘The Confessions Game,’ a board game composed of 100 cards calling

for confession, ‘kumpisal’ is a mere loan from the Spanish

one to truthfully answer in the presence of friends and/or strangers,

‘confesar’, which pertains to admission, acknowledgement of a

intimate yet universal questions about one’s family, relationship,

wrongdoing. Truth Beneath A Confession leans closer to the

money, career and sex. This immersive installation is proposed as a

word ‘tapat’, which attributes to being truthful, faithful, honest,

sanctuary for revelations where the artist and the artwork take the lead

or in a different context, alluding to something that’s fixed,

as the listening confessors and the role of facilitator (or the layman

across, opposite or in parallel.

priest), while the audience acts as the confessors voluntarily surfacing

letters of ‘tapat,’ (truth), it still reads as ‘tapat,’ as if confirming that

hidden truths about oneself through this encounter. Like De Botton’s

the truth will always remain as such.

game, the work presents an inquiry and face to face confrontation into the daily complexities of individual psychology, emotions, thoughts and well-kept secrets. Akin to the Catholic confessional setting, the confessor is given the personal choice of what to reveal and perhaps what is necessary for the individual to unburden oneself. Here lies the test of the confessor’s decision of taking the alternative route of a Artist’s Impression by Mark Justiniani, in response to the curatorial concept, 7 May 2018.

The

mitigated public and artistic exercise in place of the sacristy’s privacy.

And even as one reverses the

For the Philippine Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019, the curator invites Filipino artist, Mark Justiniani to create an

environment transforming the Arsenale space into a continuous yet suspended encounter about revelations and confessions. Combining the artist’s use of ‘magic realism’ and employment of Palindromes, Truth Beneath a Confession, will see the power of play between reality and illusion. Layers of mirrors, concrete façade & surfaces, collection of objects such as personal letters, diaries, photographs, or digital artifice

The act of confession in the Filipino culture is engraved at the core of many of its people largely through Catholicism.

PHILIPPINE PAVILION AT THE 58TH VENICE BIENNALE - 2019

(i.e. facebook accounts, text messages) will occupy the environment of the confessional.

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

02

CURATORIAL CONCEPT

Justiniani’s new work will borrow certain elements from a

unique collection of material things, run-down spaces or even a library

church-like setting. This would try to capture the route to the temple

of secrets. Behind each of them are confessional windows, positioned

of salvation (from outside to inside), and the passage way towards the

side by side continuously inviting the public to deliver confessions

confessional. It establishes a casual walk at the beach that eventually

throughout the duration of the exhibition.

reveals a steep curve to the deep end of the ocean. The artist creates a narrow yet shallow walkway that gives the illusion that slowly goes

The installation likewise lends itself to the ‘performance of

deeper and deeper as one gets close to the confessional. The closer

truth’ leaving the responsibility to the audience to take a plunge into

one moves towards the confessional, it slowly gives one the feeling of

the depths of infinity. The confessors are encouraged to leave and

discomfort as if when one trips or moves beyond the prescribed artist

declutter their minds and souls by giving the most honest confession

zone, he/she could potentially fall off a cliff, drown in the water or

as if it’s the only way to win and release the many imagined truths/

worse be engulfed in quicksand. Clues about previous adventurers

realities in their heads. In the process of accumulating public

are evident and spread across the path. Their letters of confession are

confessions, the work takes on the position of authority, role psycho-

suspended in time and visible to the onlookers.

therapist and/or the representation of a priest symbolically concluding the absolution rites. The encounter will revisit the tension that exists

Upon reaching the confessional, the confessor is invited to

disclose a truthful confession by way of writing and/or depositing an

between the truths behind the revelations and need of the confessors to articulate them.

object of personal value linked to the revelation on the infinity capsule, Words that articulate the evident revelation in the reversal of words in Filipino.

and move on.

The act of public confession, an invitation for

As the visitors partake in the act of confession, they collectively

the audience to divulge what’s private, presents the exercise of

and even unknowingly take the step towards their individual

unravelling the boldness that comes from the shift of the intimate

absolution. In Filipino this word translates to ‘pagpapawalang-sala’

one on one disclosure towards a public confession – as if seeking

(removal of sin). If one simply takes the word ‘sala’, which means

refuge or comfort in the presence/acknowledgment of others.

wrong or wrongdoing, by reversing the letters, it would read as ‘alas.’ This word now changes the meaning, which in English is ‘ace’ (ace of cards),

Truth Beneath a Confession is made visible by Justiniani’s

with the context thereby having the upper hand. It’s as if the reversal

cylindrical composition of 12 passages: 10 panels of double-sided

of the letters has become synonymous to the reversal of one’s fortune

infinity mirrors and 2 walkways. As seen from the outside, the erected

through the rites of absolution. Alas, as the choice between the entrance

structures display a variety of façades, some with a vision of grandiose,

and exit manifests in the space within the Truth Beneath a Confession.

PHILIPPINE PAVILION AT THE 58TH VENICE BIENNALE - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

outside the installation

03

Artist’s Impression, In response to the curatorial concept, by Mark Justiniani 7 May 2018.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

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inside the installation

Installation in three parts 1st stage

2nd stage

It shows an archetypal wheel. It appears like a carousel of corridors

The exit from the furnace leads to a pathway which connects to a

.10 pathways contain infinities, 2 passages are for the entrance and

corridor of reflections. The corridor begins with fragmented reflections;

exit (12 total) 12 passages, each alluding to archetypes. “The innocent”

granular and pixelated they slowly take shape as the spectator moves

and “the orphan” falls on the entrance and exit respectively.-The

along. Image of the viewer is replicated countless times at the end of

interior reminds the viewer of a blast furnace. There are 10 small

this corridor. There are video cameras outside of the one way mirrors

infinity windows from the back side of the pathways. These are

which show the viewers in the company of his or her own copies. The

images extracted from the exterior. The interior floor is a circular pit;

viewer sees the video from the inside. The claiming of the self begins

a cauldron of cabinets, shelves and containers. Objects manmade and

with the acknowledgement of the many selves.

organic surrounded by soil, roots, rocks and fire. 10 feet in diameter , 3rd stage

it plunges deep underground.

Confessions: the unified self- a distillation...

Artist’s Impression, Internal Structure featuring confessional windows, by Mark Justiniani 7 May 2018.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

floor plan

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

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ENTRY / EXIT

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

ENTRY / EXIT

ENTRY / EXIT

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

VISiTOR ROUTE

06

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

AXONOMETRIC view

07

EXIT

ENTRY

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

Exploded AXONOMETRIC

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

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cylindrical composition of 12 passage Each alluding to archtypes.

“The innocent” and “the orphan” fall on the entrance and exit respectively

circulation Ramp

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

AXONOMETRIC, elevated floor

09

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

AXONOMETRIC, elevated floor

10

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

AXONOMETRIC, vertical cabinets

11

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

PERSPECTIVE, view outside

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

Entrance to the Gallery

12

Truth Beneath a Confession is made visible by Justiniani’s cylindrical composition of 12

“

material things, run-down spaces or even a library of secrets. Behind each of them are confessional

This looks extraordinary and wonderful! I feel deeply honoured to have been a part of the process, tangentially of course.

windows, positioned side by side continuously inviting the public to deliver confessions throughout

Alain de Botton

passages: 10 panels of double-sided infinity mirrors and 2 walkways. As seen from the outside, the erected structures display a variety of façades, some with a vision of grandiose, unique collection of

the duration of the exhibition.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

”

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

PERSPECTIVE, view inside

13

Immersive Installation

The installation likewise lends itself to the ‘performance of truth’ leaving

In the process of accumulating public confessions, the work takes on

the responsibility to the audience to take a plunge into the depths of infinity. The

the position of authority, role psycho-therapist and/or the representation of a

confessors are encouraged to leave and declutter their minds and souls by giving

priest symbolically concluding the absolution rites.

the most honest confession as if it’s the only way to win and release the many

the tension that exists between the truths behind the revelations and need of the

imagined truths/realities in their heads.

confessors to articulate them.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

The encounter will revisit

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

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VANINI BELARMINO

curriculum vitae

A Filipino curator, producer and writer, I am currently the

Assistant Director (Programmes) at National Gallery Singapore.

I

Further Studies, Cultural & Artistic Exchanges, Museum Projects, Asia-Europe (2002-2007)

obtained a degree in B.A. Theater Arts from the University of the Philippines and earned post-graduate diploma on European Cultural

I moved to the U.K. in 2002-2003 to read M.A. in European

Project Management from the Marcel Hicter Foundation. I focus on

Cultural Policy and Administration at the University of Warwick.

the productive potential of encounters by identifying and facilitating

This enabled me to secure a 3-month work placement at the European

collaborations between artists across different genres. While these

Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam at the cusp of shifting political

encounters may or may not result in completed works, the emphasis

climate in the Netherlands and the European Union.

is on creating new experiences for both the artists and the audience.

In October 2003, I joined the Asia-Europe Foundation

Formative Years in the Philippines Arts

(ASEF) in Singapore where I established the foundation’s performing

(1990 - 2001)

arts and young artist exchange programmes: I’mPULSE (music) and Pointe to Point (dance) and managed ASEMUS (Asia-Europe Museum

My formative years in the arts began at the age of 16 while

Network). I was a core team member that developed the ASEMUS

studying theatre under Professor Tony Mabesa. This paved way to a

Virtual Collection of Masterpieces, led by the National Ethnographic

continued learning process and close encounter with interdisciplinary

Museum, Leiden and the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum, together with

arts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines as the protégé of

Musée du Quai Branly and the touring exhibition, Self & Other, led by

Nestor Jardin. Whilst pursuing graduate studies in art history, my

the National Ethnographic Museum, Osaka and the British Museum.

involvement in arts education and contemporary art took a natural course with a job at the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and regular weekends organising and filming a range of activities at Tam-Awan Village, an artist village in Baguio City, set-up by Philippine National Artist, Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera.

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curriculum vitae

Independent Curator for Interdisciplinary Collaborations, Berlin & Singapore (2007 - 2016)

In January 2007, I joined Walkscreen and Akademie der Künste in co-leading the team

of 16 photographers and researchers for the EU-art-peace project in wall divided societies called Challenging Walls in Israel and Palestine, former East and West Germany, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

I founded Belarmino & Partners in Berlin in March 2008 and in Singapore in April

2011. Within this framework, I curated ZENSORS Germany and Philippines, an interdisciplinary exchange involving choreographers, musicians, new media artists, photographers, filmmakers, visual artists and fashion designers bringing combustion of energy inside a performing arts space, park, clubs and a museum.

Through Belarmino&Partners, I collaborated with the likes of RADIALSYSTEM V,

Platoon Kunsthalle Berlin, Welt Museum Wien, Asia - Pacific Weeks, LASALLE College of the Arts, Goethe Institut, Public Art Lab, Connecting Cities, Amrita Performing Arts among others across the span of 8 years.

Between 2011 - 2015, I curated the artistic programmes for ArtScience Museum completing

more than 50 art happenings including site-specific performances, creative workshops and public forums for exhibitions like Dali: Mind of a Genius, Van Gogh Alive, Titanic: The Exhibition, Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal, and Harry Potter. Following the success of these exhibition-centric programmes, the museum commissioned me to curate their flagship programme ArtScience Late, a once a month happening aimed at generating fresh interdisciplinary content featuring local and international artists, establishing the museum

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curriculum vitae

Assistant Director (Programmes), National Gallery Singapore (2016 - Present)

As Assistant Director for Programmes at the National Gallery Singapore, I am responsible

I am currently working on the launch of Children’s Festival: Small Big Dreamers 2018

for the overall content development and artwork commissions for its peak programmes, the

which is anchored on the life and works of Singaporean artist, Lee Wen, alongside the continued

Children’s Biennale and Light to Night festival, alongside the management of the exhibition and

refinement of a five-year project with Mark Justiniani’s Passages and Bridges, Evolution of

film programmes.

Firewalk: A Bridge of Embers- Year One, teamlab’s Walk, Walk, Walk: Search, Deviate, Reunite and Hands On by We Make Carpets.

In 12 months, I have contributed to the launch of the Children’s Biennale, as part of the

curatorial panel and as chief programmer, working with artists like Mark Justiniani, Tran Trong

Vu, Chng Seok Tin, Vincent Leow, Ian Woo, Lynn Lu, Robert Zhao and teamLab to produce new

dedicated staff members.

As a member of the Gallery’s Leadership Committee, I work with a modest team of 7

interactive, immersive and participatory works. I was also instrumental to the commissioning of performance installations for the Biennale, engaging theatre practitioners like Polyglot Theatre, post theatre, and Papermoon Puppet Theatre. This project successfully attracted close to 300,000 visitors in 4 months and piqued the interest of museums across the globe.

I worked on the commissions for the Gallery Light to Night festival with the likes of David

Medalla, Lee Mingwei, Pinaree Sanpitak, Ho Tzu Nyen and Ayumi Paul that was unveiled during the Singapore Art Week 2018.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

curriculum vitae

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Children’s Festival: Small Big Dreamers (Upcoming Show)

Gallery Children’s Biennale

(9 June - 9 September 2018)

(2017)

Children’s Festival: Small Big Dreamers to inspire visitors in imagining and reimagining the world

The first edition of National Gallery Singapore’s Children’s Biennale (20 May – 08 October 2017)

around them through experiential art and active play. Spotlighting a Singapore artist whose

unleashed the child in everyone through a creative journey. The theme “Dreams and Stories” has

story exemplifies that anything is possible in each bi-yearly edition, Children’s Festival: Small Big

brought our team members and artist collaborators to revisit childhood memories and articulate

Dreamers 2018 introduces visitors of all ages to Lee Wen, one of Singapore’s pioneer performance

them into stories reflected in the 10 installations situated across the public circulation spaces at the

artists and a Cultural Medallion award recipient, through a special commission inspired by his life

Gallery. Among the featured artists were Yayoi Kusama, teamLab, Ian Woo, Vincent Leow, Chng

and practice – A Waking Dream: Sun-boy and Yellow Man.

Seok, Robert Zhao, Mark Justiniani and Tran Trong Vu.

Gallery Light to Night 2018 (Recent Shows): Indoor Commissions

Gallery Light to Night is one of the peak programmes of the National Gallery Singapore that serves as the signature event for the Singapore Art Week. The show looked at Traces and Echoes as the starting point to look at the spiralling thread - that revolves around and evolves from Asian traditions and contemporary culture embodied in art practice/making in the region. Traces and Echoes was an invitation for artists to search and create references emanating from the notion of the body as the temple of the mind & spirit (HOST); as the maker, transporter and translator of history (TOOL); and as a private and public persona (ENTITY). The theme also lent a parallel contemplation for the public to experience the museum as an architectural structure, shadowing and echoing the past, present & future (HISTORY), as the home to a collection of artworks in Singapore and Southeast Asia (ART), and ultimately as a space for gathering (PEOPLE).

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

independent curatorial projects

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ArtScience Late, ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands (May 2014 - January 2015)

Skin & Walls, Saatchi Art Hallways, Saatchi & Saatchi, Singapore

•

A a new programme featuring 9 original multidisciplinary performance-installations and

(25 September - 31 October 2012)

durational works, featuring Charles Wong, Quincy Teofisto, Urich Lau, Kai Lam, Yuzuru Maeda,

•

The premiere exhibition of Saatchi Art Hallways, featuring

Lirio Salvador, Elemento, Wawi Navarozza, Fuyuki Yamakawa, Eko Supriyanto, Solo Dance

•

Andree Weschler, Jahan Loh, Joseph Siow, Tommy Morris and Ziquan Lan.

Studio, Tim O’Dwyer, Florian Baron Chey Chankethya, Blake Shaw / SWEATSHOPPE, Bani Haykal, Andreas Schlegel, Eisa Jocson, Shunsuke Nanjo, Kensu Nanjo, Nicolas Charbonnier.

ZENSORS Manila and Baguio City, Philippines, (12 - 25 August 2009) •

Interdisciplinary art project featuring Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, Aureus Solito, Nina

Intimate Moments, Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria (May 2013)

Yamamoto-Masson, Lirio Salvador, Diwa de Leon, Mayumi Okabayashi, Shunsuke Francois

•

A Southeast Asian dance film and performance programme for the exhibition, Danced

Nanjo and Chiyo Ogino. Supported by the Asian Cultural Council, Bencab Museum, Cultural

Creations: Asia’s Mythological Past and Future, featuring Gaye Galiluyo, Sherman Ong and

Center of the Philippines and Japan Foundation Manila.

Sophiline Cheam Saphiro.

ZENSORS Berlin, Germany, (21 - 30 May 2008) Intimate Moments, PLATOON KUNSTHALLE Berlin, Germany (June 2013) •

•

•

An interdisciplinary art project featuring Japanese media performance artists Naoto Iina,

An interdisciplinary art initiative and breathing exhibition between Singapore and Germany,

Daito Manabe, Fuyuki Yamakawa, Dumb Type’s Takayuki Fujimoto, together with German

featuring

multi-disciplinary artist David Canisiu, Matanicola, walkscreen. Supported by the Japan

Urich Lau, Chow Cheeyong, Sherman Ong, Andrea Weschler, Elizabeth de Roza and Shirley

Foundation’s Performing Arts Japan Europe in cooperation with Cookies, Dance and Media

Quick.

Japan, DMY 2008, RADIALSYSTEM V and 103 Studio/VORSPIEL.

Intimate Moments II (25 September - 31 October 2012)

Challenging Walls (CW), Jerusalem, Israel, (9 - 12 July 2007)

•

•

A solo exhibition by Tito Delgado, Fullerton Heritage Gallery,

A Project by Walkscreen, Akademie der Kuenste, European Union, European Cultural Foundation, Jerusalem Film Festival, Jerusalem Foundation, featuring photographers Sibylle Bergemann, Christopher Heaney, Nicolas Iordanou, Kadir Kaba, Frankie Quinn, Michael Reitz, Steve Sabella and Ruthe Zuntz.

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past curatorial projects

ONE OR SEVERAL TIGERS Ho Tzu Nyen Adapted for the Gallery Light to Night Festival 2018

It tells the story of Singapore through the tale of the Malayan tiger. This creature played a central role in the cosmology and ecology of the Malayan world before coming close to extinction during the age of colonialism.

A master of metamorphosis, it continues to capture the public imagination, both as myth and metaphor.

A STITCH IN TIME THE HOUSE IS CRUMBLING

David Medalla

Pinaree Sanpitak in collaboration with all (Zone)

Adapted for the Gallery Light to Night Festival 2018

Commissioned for the Gallery Light to Night Festival 2018

A Stitch in Time embodies the ongoing dialogue between the A sculptural installation made up of 4,000 Thai Khit pillows,

artist and his participants, specific to the different places that it has

assembled into a combination of fixed structures and loose forms.

travelled to. While the artistic process has been the same over the past

Each pillow acts as a building block, with strings sewn into its sides

five decades, every stitched memento is unique, creating new stories

that allow it to be freely detached and connected. The audience are

wherever the work is exhibited.

invited to interact with the work, deconstructing and reconstructing it to redefine the environment within the exhibition space.

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mark justiniani

curriculum vitae

Mark Justiniani, often identified with the lineage of Social

Realism through the 80’s and 90’s in the Philippines, through artist- activist initiatives like Abay (Artista ng Bayan) and Sanggawa (1994), has been working with notions of how we perceive reality. He is also a founding member of the Salingpusa Art Group.

Since 1987, he has participated in several group exhibitions, most of

which

involved

large-scale

works

and

murals. In 1994, he was granted the Thirteen Artists Award by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He has represented the Philippines in various international conferences, workshops, exhibitions. and

After returning from the USA in 2006, he has developed his oeuvre through “Magic Realist Strains” and has moved to configurations of space, the nature of vision and their ever vacillating relationship with time through the use of reflective media in recent years.

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curriculum vitae

Solo Exhibitions 2017 •

Provoking Space, Mizuma Gallery, Gillman Barracks, Singapore

•

•

The Settlement, Open Space, Ayala Museum, Makati City, and UP Sunken Gardens,

2007

Quezon City, Philippines. (Travelling Installation)

•

Art Stage Singapore Special Projects, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

2006

• 2016

•

•

Reverb, Vargas Museum, University of the Philippines, Quezon City

•

What Science Missed, Pinto Art Museum, Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines

2015 •

2014

•

2002, Galleria Duemila, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

•

Transit, Red Dot Gallery, Makati City, Philippines Daong, works in coffee, Starbucks 6750, Makati City, Philippines

•

•

Recurrence, Art Stage Singapore Platform, The Drawing Room Gallery, Singapore

1999 •

•

Rotator, Secret Fresh Gallery, San Juan, Philippines

1996

•

Orbit, Finale Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

•

•

Mimefield, Tin-Aw Gallery, Art Fair Philippines, Makati City, Philippines

1995 •

•

Phantom Limb, Finale Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

1994

•

Damgohanon, Capitano Gallery, Negros Occidental, Philippines

•

2010 •

Mga Dialogo, Boston Gallery, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

2002

Transit, Bazaar Art Jakarta Special Projects, The Drawing Room Gallery, Indonesia

2011

Varying Constants, Art Verite, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City,

2003

•

2013

SaSilongalingan, Nineveh Art Space, Laguna, Philippines

Taguig City, Philippines

• Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Convention Center, Hong Kong

Catapult, Substation Gallery, Singapore.

Sanktuaryo, Boston Gallery, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

Kwento ni Wanggo, Boston Gallery, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

White Rain, Hiraya Gallery, Manila City, Philippines

Santo-Santohan, Hiraya Gallery, Manila City, Philippines

1993 Malikmata, SLab, Makati City, Philippines

•

Kasimanwa, Hiraya Gallery, Manila City, Philippines

2008 •

Pamati, Sitio Remedios, Ilocos Norte for the Silangan Foundation, Philippines

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curriculum vitae

Selected Group Shows / Projects 2018 •

Beyond Bliss: Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

•

(Next stop of The Settlement opening on 19 October 2018) •

Taguig City, Philippines

The Children’s Biennale-Dreams and Stories, Staatliche Kunstammlungen Dresden,

2013

Japanische Palais, Dresden, Germany (Commission piece opening on 21 September 2018)

•

2017

Theory and Practice of the Small Painting, Equator Art Projects, Gillman Barracks, Singapore

•

Islands, Constellations and Galapagos, Yokohama Triennale, Yokohama, Japan

2011

•

Traces of the Future: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia, Mizuma Gallery,

•

Mizuma, Japan •

Do You Believe in Angels?, Mo_Space, Bonifacio High Street,

The Theory and Practice of the Small Paintings, Equator Art Projects, Gillman Barracks, Singapore

Inverted Telescope, The Drawing Room Gallery, Makati City, and Cultural Center of the Philippines,

•

Ciento Cincuenta, Pinto Gallery, Antipolo City, Philippines

•

Relevant Rizal?, Looking for Juan, Vargas Museum,

•

Children’s Biennale, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore (commissioned piece)

•

Changing Perspective, Artjog 10, Jogjakarta, Indonesia

•

•

Tagadagat, collaboration with Elmer Borlongan and Emmanuel Garibay,

2010

Art Fair Philippines, Makati City, Philippines 2016

University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines Monumental, Manila Contemporary, Makati City, Philippines

•

Alay, Boston Gallery, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

•

Re:view 2010 Show, Bencab Museum, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines

•

Bazaar Art Jakarta, The Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Indonesia

•

Art2Heart Auction, Art Informal, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

•

Formosa 101 Art Fair, Taipei Expo Dome, Taipei, Taiwan

•

Smokescreen, Tin-aw Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

•

Young Artist Studio, Museum of Tinguely Project, Art Bassel, Messe Basel Hall 1,

•

Remix Santiago Bose, Yuchengco Museum, Makati City, Philippines

•

Cross Over, Copenhagen, Denmark

Switzerland 2015 •

Bazaar Art Jakarta, The Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Indonesia

2014

2009 •

Diminishing Returns, Tin-aw Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

•

Multiple Languages, Silverlens/SLab Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

•

Figuring the Times, Finale Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

•

You Look the Same As Us But You Don’t Speak the Same Language, Equator Art Projects,

•

New Figuration, Bencab Museum, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines

Gillman Barracks, Singapore

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curriculum vitae

Selected Group Shows / Projects 2008 •

•

2003 Looking for Juan, Artist Space, Glass Wing of the Ayala Museum,

•

Opera Gallery Artists, Opera Gallery, Singapore

Makati City, Philippines

•

Dreams: Etchings and Ceramics, Galleria Duemila, Mandaluyong City,

Assembly Line, Tin-aw Art Gallery, Makati City, Philippines

2007 •

Beyond Borders, Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore

•

Group Show, Boston Gallery, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

•

Off the Wall 3, DejaDesign Gallery, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

2006

Philippines •

Global Eye, ASTO Gallery, Artist District, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

•

Mujeres del Norte, Galeria del Instituto de Baja, California, Tijuana, S.C. Mexico

2002 •

•

Beyond Borders, The Substation, Singapore

•

Off the Wall 2, DejaDesign Gallery, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

Lantern of the East, Angel’s Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, California, U. S. A.

2005

•

Periphery, El Patio de Frida, Artspace, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

•

Eclectic LA, Forest Lawn Museum, Glendale, California, U. S. A.

•

Sign Language, DejaDesign Gallery, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

•

Touch Me Not, Espresso Mi Kultura, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.2001

•

Portal Shifts, The Substation, Singapore

•

Pinto Art Gallery, Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines

•

Off the Wall, DejaDesign Gallery, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

2000

•

Four More…, Lawrence Asher Gallery, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

•

Biennale of Sydney 2000, Sydney, Australia (As member of Sanggawa)

•

Faith + The City, (Travelling exhibition of Philippine Contemporary Art).

2004 •

30 Cuadros y 20 Peomas de Amor, Espresso Mi Cultura, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

Singapore Art Museum National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia •

2003

ASEAN Art Awards, Singapore Art Museum

1999

•

Opera Gallery Artists, Opera Gallery, Singapore

•

Outward Vision, Amit May Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA.

•

Dreams: Etchings and Ceramics, Galleria Duemila, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

•

Mga Bagong Kwento mula sa Lumang Yugto, Pacific Bridge, Oakland, CA.

•

Global Eye, ASTO Gallery, Artist District, Los Angeles, California, U. S. A.

•

Hakata Riverain Project, public mural, Hakata Prefecture, Japan

•

Mujeres del Norte, Galeria del Instituto de Baja, California, Tijuana, S.C. Mexico

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

24

curriculum vitae

Selected Group Shows / Projects 1998

1992

•

Alab ng Puso, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Manila City, Philippines

•

Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan, Grupong Salingpusa, Silangan Gardens, Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines

•

At Home and Abroad: Contemporary Philippine Art, Asian Art Museum,

•

Karnabal, Grupong Salingpusa, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila City, Philippines

San Francisco, California, U. S. A.

1991

At Home and Abroad, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Manila City,

•

Icons, Grupong Salingpusa, Silangan Gardens, Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines

Philippines

•

Pasko Kina Pasky, Jamming Ground Group Show, 9 de Febrero, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

•

11:59, Grupong Salingpusa, West Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines

Chair King, An Exhibition of Paintings and Book Launching, Karen Flores

•

Haring Ibon, Elmer Borlongan and Mark Justiniani, City Gallery, Manila City, Philippines

and Mark

•

Baguio Arts Festival, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines

Justiniani, Boston Gallery Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines

1990

Divine Interventions, Fortitude Gallery, Brisbane, Australia

•

•

Container 96, Port of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

1988

•

Asia Pacific Triennial, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

•

•

Glimpses into the Future, Tokyo, Japan

•

1997 •

•

Media-Mixed, West Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines

1996

Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines

1995 •

Tiktak, Tiktak, Lengua ni Utak, Grupong Salingpusa, Galeria de Antipolo,

1987 Vox Populi, Vox Dei, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia; Shangrila Plaza Mall,

•

Ulo, Grupong Salingpusa, City Gallery, Manila City, Philippines

Mandaluyong City, Philippines •

Artists Today, Yokohama Citizens Gallery, Yokohama, Japan

•

Getting Into the Out Mural Project, Central Lecture Block, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

25

awards & distinctions

Awards and Distinctions 2013 •

1994 Outstanding Bosconian, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Victorias, Negros, Philippines

•

2009 •

in the Philippines, Cultural Center of the Philippines Judge, CCP Thirteen Artists Awards 2009, Cultural Center of the Philippines

2005 •

1992 •

Solidarity Award, Pilipino Workers’ Center (PWC), Los Angeles, California

Quezon Circle, Quezon City, Philippines Award for Continuing Excellence in the Arts, Metrobank Foundation, Manila,Philippines

2002 •

Juror, Arts Council for Long Beach Grant Program, Long Beach California

Finalist, Philippine Art Awards, Metropolitan Museum, Manila, Philippines

Second place, UST Annual on the spot painting contest, Manila, Philippines

1990 •

1999 •

1991 •

2000 •

Grant offered by the Cultural Center of the Philippines for the Karnabal mural project (as member of Jamming Ground), Environmental Mural Making Contest,

2004 •

13 Artists Awards, Most Outstanding Achievement of Young Artists

Grand Prize, 7th Metrobank National Painting Competition, Manila, Philippines

1989 •

Award of Excellence, 22nd National Shell Student Painting Contest, Manila, Philippines

Jurors Choice Award, Philip Morris Group of Companies, Philippine Art Awards,Manila, Philippines, Philippine Representative, ASEAN Art Awards, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

V

1998 •

Awardee, Philippine Centennial Mural Project (6.5 ft. x 84 ft.) at the Heroes Hall, Malacanang Palace, Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines (as member of Sanggawa)

1997 •

Malihaw Awardee, The Most Outstanding Victorianon in the Arts, Victorias, Negros Occidental, Philippines

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION

26

Tunnel

past projects

Yokohama Triennale, 2017

The Settlement U.P. Sunken Garden, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, 2017

It is part of his current series of assemblages

and installations which creates an illusion of infinite space through the careful manipulation of light and mirrors.

Justiniani intends to make the external

features of artwork look like a shanty, a house of an informal settler — a common urban imagery.

Firewalk, A Bridge of Embers Commissioned for the Gallery Children’s Biennale, 2017

Embark on a journey of discovery through

Firewalk. The work which creates an illusion of depth, depicting an archeological site that stretches endlessly into the ground. Objects that could have been once treasured––toys, books, building blocks and letters–– can be found within it.

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019

TRUTH BENEATH A CONFESSION Artist: Mark Justiniani Curator: Vanini Belarmino Concept Proposal

PHILIPPINE pavilion at the 58TH venice biennale - 2019