The Good The Bad The Utter Ugly

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

- Constantino Tejero for concocting the term “abstract social realism” on Lindslee’s show SR – whooahh!!!!

- New musical siblings ‘Outer Hope’ launching their album at Mag:net Katips amidst the chatter of hot babes overly-protected by their dates – sigh, if only they’d listen to the performance

- The Brockas – so good at being bad to think it has the gathered the finer ones in the indie scene like Lav Diaz and Roxlee constantly strumming an improvised 1-string guitar and headed by Aslan-haired Khavn who had solid background as a pop ballad tunesmith, further ignited by their guitarist who seem to have Barako boys aspiration playing shirtless in most of their gigs and a drummer playing The Champ mascot in boxer shorts and silk robes. Can Cueshe or Blow even top that?

- The Sisig at Mag:net Katips – of kiddie meal proportions to the price of a Big Brother’s Burger – what’s the beef with this or rather the pork with this?

- The last Fete de la Musique – too hyped, too pricey drinkies, too cramped venue, too many black-clad kids screaming blood and ‘pangks not dead’ for nothing but there’s always too many drunk babes willing to be moshed.

- Art_forum egroup discussions – overly dramatic, prematurely critical – but seriously, guys it’s just all banter – we want action, man! Or is this another friendster?


- Simultaneous exhibit openings especially for venues at extreme ends of metropolitan Manila e.g.
Makati and Quezon City, and especially if you’ve been personally invited by both exhibiting artist – the solution actually is to attend neither to avoid any hurt feelings.

- Art contests, art awards – show ‘em the money first, yo’ bastards!

- Year-ender shows that resemble tiangges but nonetheless overflowing with food and booze and all the holiday cheer and which makes it more difficult to have anything done at those times. It seems the tradition, live with it.

- Applying for grants – like shooting coins in a pocket full of holes. The same as showing your portfolio to visiting curators fishing for certain biennales, triennales – like a model walking through a go-see or like an OFW applying for a job in Saudi or HK.