This Art Installation at Ateneo's Areté Is Too Big to Miss

(SPOT.ph) Ever interacted with art to the point that you feel like you’re actually part of it? “Everywhere, There You Are,” an art installation by Ling Quisumbing Ramilo and Wawi Navarroza, is a creation that’s not only meant to be seen but also to be experienced with all your senses. It was unveiled on April 7 and marked the inauguration of Ateneo Art Gallery’s Ignacio B. Gimenez Outdoor Installation Grant Program, which funds two outdoor installation projects that run for about half a year. “Everywhere, There You Are” is on display until September 8 at the Ignacio B. Gimenez Amphitheater, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University. 

The grant program initially started with a sculpture garden concept. But Boots Herrera, director and chief curator of Ateneo Art Gallery, thought “it’s best to work with temporary exhibition projects to accommodate and feature more artists.” She added that it’s more collaborative that way. 

“Everywhere, There You Are” is a 20-foot tall and 140-foot wide art installation composed of thousands of neon-orange fabric strips that are hand-cut from around 1,500 yards of textile and hand-tied to an outstretched fishing net. Visitors can walk through the installation to take in the bright, eye-catching color and feel the subtle wave-like motion made by the installation. The strips produce multiple miniscule movements whenever the wind blows, making it appear as if the whole installation is moving, especially when seen from a distance.

It's worth noting that the well-coordinated art installation was made by artists who did not come from the same background. Ramilo is known for using wood in her works, and has a fascination for found objects that she often repurposes. Navarroza, on the other hand, is mostly known for her photographs and her utilization of a self-reflexive point of view through various materials. The collaboration is a clever fusion of two artists exploring various media vis-à-vis their own styles and techniques.

“Everywhere, There You Are” still has a few months on Ateneo’s lawn, but Herrera revealed during the launch that the next featured artist for the Outdoor Installation Grant Program will be Filipino sculptor Agnes A. Arellano. 

“Everywhere, There You Are” is on display until September 8 at the Ignacio B. Gimenez Amphitheater, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. For more information, visit Ateneo Art Gallery’s website.