New works by Epjey Pacheco and Egg Fiasco

Opening September 25 Sunday 6 PM

On view from September 25 to October 19
This is show is a collaborative effort of two artists, that is hardly called an effort, since graffiti artists are so used to doing collaboration sessions that they do It every day on the empty walls and pavements like a casual art bombing of sorts.

Apart from their individual paintings for this show, Epjey Pacheco and Egg Fiasco’s collaborations are rather perfect in terms of contrast with each other. For one, the results did not look forced, because their styles, though a bit different from each other, are still naturally merged at one point through their similar usage of striking colors. The total outcome of their collusion is an appealing visual collaboration of hues, details, and the ever-present paradoxes of ugly beautiful things. They complement each other, from the imaged assault of candy-coated decaying substances that seem to spring up from the constant degeneration of our present pop culture to the rainbows patterns that are like flowers that lay embrace to a rotting flesh corpse. The western feel of their paintings and them being graffiti artists might also have something to do with this, since cultural disintegration is happening right now and is strongly influenced by outside factors, with the emergence of facebook, cheap brainless tv shows, senseless teenage slut pop music, pointless abuse of man’s natural resources, and all the other unnecessary heap of things that threaten the end of man’s so called intellectual evolution. And since their enemy is using a massive range of communication medium, they simply decide to take possession and conquer the other larger part of it: the streets. Drawn closely together, their works have this western, New York-ish feel, as if was one those things that you see featured in American sub-culture art magazines.

Epjey focuses more on the detail of his works (which are rather excruciating and painfully time-consuming). These drawings can be somehow compared with the craft of cross-stitching, involving an immense deal of patience and boredom, but surprisingly resulting into a masterwork of detail that literally shows how long (or short) the artwork has taken to finish. “Gusto ko lang maglabas ng madami pang trabaho at magexplore ng ibat ibang bagay kahit outside of art. gusto ko ng growth saart ko at sa pagkatao ko. and i think nagfefeed yung dalawang goalna yun sa bawat isa.” Epjey says, admitting that he is very much curious with the boundaries of his own art and his hunger for more personal exploration right now is totally insatiable.

Egg, on the other hand, has this noticeable effect of depicting his characters and imageries in suspended three-dimensional state, which works well in giving an illusion of dimension within the collaboration itself through the usage of flattened shades and an arresting usage of brilliant colors. “The theme will develop between dark and bright colors, the struggle between good and evil, balancing the inner demons that exist within all of us. I like having balance in every aspect of my life so we planned to highlight and portray that in our show.” other Fiasco explains during the interview.

So then it all reflects in their anthology of works: symbols of excess, danger, violence, grime, multicolored gore, destruction of nature, and all other things packed together into a tight box with four(or more) walls, worshipping the contemporary language of the streets.

words by dave lock

“The Unwaking Hour”

JJ Zamoranos First solo exhibit

30 August – 20 September 2011

4 September Sunday, 6 PM – opening reception and launch of his toy

Secret Fresh Gallery,

Ronac Art Center, Greenhills, Sa Juan MM

Ideas. What happens to those ideas once our minds have summoned them into existence? “The Unwaking Hour”, JJ Zamoranos first solo exhibit which will be on view from the 30^th of August to the 20^th of September at Secret Fresh Gallery, serves as a hint to the absolute, unsubordinated minds of every human being that contributes to this surreal world of notions. Contradictory as it may seem, (as the “un” part gives a sense of what it is to be in a dream subconsciously or just in a plain slumber, while the “waking” reflects the reality) this random thought expresses the collected ideas and binds them together in a whirlwind of imaginative and obviously surreal habitat created by every individual’s conception. Like the “choose your own adventure” book, the audiences are more than welcome to express their opinions and/or form a story based on what they see or feel roused by the visual and emotional stir. The titles are not there to reveal or hide the meaning of the works. They are intended to show the starting point of the whole story, waiting to be discovered by your mischievous and adventurous little hearts, backed-up by your own playful mind.

JJ Zamoranos, also known as EXLD in the street art scene, has been tagging and bombing walls since 2006, while participating in numerous group shows in notable alternative art spaces in Manila.  Getting wind so much of the freedom from painting in the streets, he dropped out from his fine arts degree program in FEU. His style mixes fluffy menace and steely whimsy as he looks up to Flying Fortress, Jeremy Fish and Audrey Kawasaki for inspiration.

The Unwaking Hour will be on view from August 30 – September 20, 2011

A Crazy Lil Thing Co’llab

Group Show : Bigboy Cheng, Christian Tamondong, Noel Cruz, Bjorn Calleja, Nemo Aguila, Jason Montinola, Erik Sausa, Dave Lock, Bru Sim, MArcushiro, Allan Balisi, Tatong Torres, Cos Zicarelli, Epjey Pacheco Egg ,Fiasco, Jigger Cruz and Beejay Esber and JP Cuison

31 July – 23 August 2011

Secret Fresh Gallery, Ronac Art Center, Greenhills, San Juan

Collaborations can be seen as transactional negotiations that purports to fair game without winners or losers but individual dominance  eliminated for the pursuit of a unified collective goal. Hence, collaborations can be seen as experiments in social relationships and as an exercise in group dynamics. In art, collaborations  have endured as  platforms of creative play  and or as an open even-handed sport of one-upmanship. The result of which is a picture that integrates the stylistic DNA of all its creators into a hybrid entity that knows no master, free to be its own creature within its plastic domain of viscous paint, gesso, varnish and all the wherewithals  of the blood and guts of its consensual wielders and breeders; or the consequence of a win-win solution – agreeing to disagree for a picture whose problem is to complete itself in the mix of conspiratorial hands.

A Crazy Lil Thing Co’llab is one such exhibit which gathers conspirators Bigboy Cheng, Christian Tamondong, Noel Cruz, Bjorn Calleja, Nemo Aguila, Jason Montinola, Erik Sausa, Dave Lock, Bru Sim, MArcushiro, Allan Balisi, Tatong Torres, Cos Zicarelli,  Epjey Pacheco Egg ,Fiasco, Jigger Cruz and Beejay Esber and JP Cuison.  The process by which conspirators nee collaborators were paired were drawn by lots, the outcome of which would surely be a surprise as they’re forced out of their stylistic comfort zones as figurative painters were paired with abstract painters, with some collaborators meeting  for the first time. This show also acts as a laboratory for all such experimentation, or a reanimation of the Surrealist parlor game the exquisite corpse as how Balisi, Torres and Zicarelli executed their collaboration.

A Crazy Lil Thing Co’llab will have its opening preview on July 31 6PM at Secret Fresh Gallery.

The exhibit will run until August 23, 2011

Abstract Accident BIV. 2011. oil & acrylic on canvas. 45.7 x 61 cm

Abstract Accident GBI. 2011. 24.1 x 30.5 cm. oil & scrylic on canvas

Abstract Accident IVR. 2011. 24.1 x 30.5 cm. oil & acrylic on canvas

Abstract Accident OYG. 2011. 24.1 x 30.5 cm. oil & acrylic on canvas

Abstract Accident ROY. 2011. 45.7 x 61 cm. oil & acrylic on canvas

Abstract Accident VRO. 2011. 20.3 x 61 cm. oil & acrylic on canvas

Abstract Accident YGB. 2011. 45.7 x 61 cm. oil & acrylic on canvas

Official release of toy is on July 1st 2011
Limited to only 75 pieces
All wood
Currently Amanda’s biggest toy
17 inches
USD$350.00

International orders of the toys are on a first come first serve basis
and orders should be made directly to our email which is freshmanila@gmail.com with the subject title as “topsy turvy croc”
*please include your mailing address when ordering

confirmation email will be sent
payments will be made through paypal
all mail will be sent via Registered Parcel

Local buyers can buy directly at Secret Fresh.

11,000 PhP

The Color Bringer toy

made of resin, only 20 pieces released worldwide

7,500 PhP

SOLD OUT!

Bjorn Calleja’s The Color Bringer opening this Sunday June 26 at Secret Fresh Gallery features paintings that despite the upbeat positivist attitude the exhibit title may invoke, the central figure – a wide-eyed, fat-lipped tubby figure gazes melancholic towards the viewer, as though the offering of a rainbow to a gray monochrome world entailed a great sacrifice for this otherworldly gnome-like creature.

These are painted as portraits color-keyed to their ornate frames and to the wall where they hang. Their singular use of color are so intended as to amplify colors’ emotive response to one’s environment, each “portrait” a spectrum fractal of its maker, the artist, if we are to subscribe to the supposition that each picture an artist makes is essentially a self-portrait.

What Calleja seemingly reveals in this exhibit is that the end of a rainbow is not a pot of gold but rather these gnome-like creatures smirking in their reluctance to bring radiance, to be the color bringers to a world made dreary by routine, and where imagination and wonder are vastly becoming more precious than gold.

Calleja earned his fine arts degree from the Far Eastern University and has been exhibited in several notable galleries in Manila. He recently had a solo exhibit at Lost Projects. This is his 4th solo exhibit.

The launch of The Color Bringer toy, a resin cast figure based on one of Calleja’s paintings in the show, will also coincide with the exhibit. The toy has a limited release of 20 pieces worldwide. Each piece is signed and numbered by the artist.

The Color Bringer exhibit is on view until July 19, 2011.

For further queries email secretfresh.gallery@gmail.com or by calling Secret Fresh at 570-9815 local 7. Updates can also be tracked through Secret Fresh on Facebook, http://www.freshmanila.blogspot.com/ and http://www.twitter.com/freshmanila

Wabit. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Fungi. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Belle. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

E. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Cinderella. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Nemo. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Dinodog. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Bulet. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Jasmine.2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Jimminy. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Abu. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

N. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Flaunder. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Pinocchio.2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

W. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Chip. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Booger. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

M. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Sponge One. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Sleeping Beauty. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Snow White. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

O. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Ariel. 2011. acrylic on canvas. 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Manster Politician. 2010. polytuff and acrylic

Piggy Manster. 2009. spray paint & acrylic on ceramic

Wire Manster. 2010. mini munny, wires, screws, acrylic

Watang Ina. 2010. acrylic on skateboard. 81. 4 x 19.1 cm

Ako May Tama. 2010. acrylic on canvas. 81.4 x 19.1 cm

Helow. 2011. Pen & ink on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Hi!. 2011. pen & ink on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Lipad. 2011. pen & acrylic on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Mis Na Kita. 2010. mixed media on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Ang Abalang MMDA Bluboy. 2010. mixed media on acid free paper

Model Sa Portraiture. 2010. mixed media on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Pusang Gala. 2011. pen & acrylic on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Sugod. 2010. mixed media on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Venus Flytrap Krismas Tree. 2010. mixed media on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm

Zombie & Manster 2. 2011. pen & ink on acid free paper. 18.9 x 27 cm